South Wales Echo

City Fan Dies Hours After Game

A lifelong Cardiff City fan collapsed and died just hours after watching his beloved team play. Dad-of-four Carl Thomas, 46, from Tonyrefail, had travelled to Leicester with pals two days before Christmas to support the Bluebirds - but hours later, he collapsed at his favourite pub and died later in hospital. Family and friends today paid tribute to Mr Thomas.: FROM PAGE 6: So happy watching his heroes play.. hours later, City fan Carl was dead:FATHER-of-four Carl Thomas died just hours after...

Tourist Website in Porn Shock

Visitors to a website promoting Cardiff around the world were shocked to be confronted by pornography. Tourists looking for Cardiff on the Visit Britain site were instead directed to a porn website. A spokesman for Visit Britain apologised for any distress caused and said the link had today been removed. Jeff Rees, 43, a South Wales businessman who has lived in Finland for more than 20 years, logged on to the site. He said: 'I was shocked when I saw that - very surprised. 'I don't think these...

Rugby Fans Join the Winter Wonderland Scrum

Young sports fans received a seasonal treat when they met their rugby idols at Cardiff's Winter Wonderland. Members of the Cardiff Blues squad signed autographs and chatted to their young admirers in the Civic Centre, accompanied by team mascot Bruiser the Bear. Flanker Martyn Williams shrugged off a three-week ban, imposed after a red card against the Ospreys, to pose for pictures with waiting fans.

New Campaign to Stop Smokers

'Taught by Unqualified'

People 'in Dark Over Public Transport'

Stormy Weather Threatens to Spoil Calennig

South Wales could be in for a stormy end to 2006, but it is hoped celebrations will carry on as normal. High wind speeds of 60mph to 70mph and heavy rain is forecast to batter the country in time for the New Year. Up to 40,000 people are expected to attend the Calennig celebrations in Cardiff city centre and organisers hope they will be able to deliver, despite the bad weather. Rob Corp, who is overseeing the event, said this was not the first time they had overcome the elements for New Year.

Community Voice

Drastic Measures

Schools Are Urged to Tackle Homophobia

Pupils and parents across Wales are being asked to take homophobia more seriously in relation to bullying in the playground. New official guidelines from the Home Office for dealing with the hate crime said internet sites could be set up to encourage adults or children to make reports direct to police. The guidelines also warned that schools were failing to take seriously the use of homophobic language in the playground and highlighted a series of projects from around Wales and England attemp...

Hotel Worker Arrested After City Hotel Fire

A hotel worker was today arrested on suspicion of arson. The man, from Canton, Cardiff, was arrested today at home by officers in connection with the blaze at the Thistle Hotel. The man, who works at the city centre hotel, is being quizzed by detectives at Cardiff Central police station. Detective Inspector Stuart Adams said: 'There is somebody out there who obviously knows what has happened in relation to the fire and would ask them to contact us.' It is believed the fire started in the laun...

Detectives to Investigate Hotel Blaze

Detectives have been called in to help investigate a fire at a Cardiff city centre hotel. A fire investigation was underway yesterday prompting officers from Cardiff CID to look into the blaze at the badly damaged Thistle Hotel, in Park Place. Nearly 100 guests had to be evacuated from the building as more than 50 firefighters fought the blaze for seven hours as it spread from the second to the fourth floor in the early hours of Wednesday.

Terror Attack Suit Bid

Buffalo Gores Party Guests

A Call for Unwanted Christmas Gifts

Charities in South Wales are appealing for unwanted Christmas gifts to be donated after a slump in festive giving. Whether it's an oversized jumper or surplus copies of your favourite CD - charities are an ideal way to get rid of extra gifts. Among them are the British Heart Foundation shops in Cowbridge Road East, Albany Road and Cathedral Road, Cardiff.

Crash Search Is Hampered

To All the Victims of Domestic Violence: Speak Out Now so You Don't End Up Dead On a Cold Slab Like My Melanie

The mother of a woman murdered by the man she loved is pleading with other domestic violence victims to save themselves. In an emotional open letter to women with abusive partners - printed in full on the right - Julie Crumpton urges them to leave so they can save their mothers from the heartache she has endured. Julie's daughter, mother-of-three Melanie Elsbury, 27, had been married to husband Christopher - who had previously been jailed for breaking into her home and threatening her - for j...

Thief Stole Perfume

Police Arrest Former Page 3 Girl After Row

Former Vale Mayor Haydn Dies at 83