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| Senghenydd mining disaster: Thousands to mark centenary | Senghenydd mining disaster: Thousands to mark centenary |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A day of events marking the 100th anniversary of Britain's worst mining disaster has started in Senghenydd. | |
| Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of the Caerphilly county village where an explosion killed 439 at the Universal Colliery on 14 October, 1913. | |
| A new memorial is being unveiled to mark the event and other mining tragedies in Wales. | A new memorial is being unveiled to mark the event and other mining tragedies in Wales. |
| Descendants of the men and boys who died will be among those attending. | Descendants of the men and boys who died will be among those attending. |
| The tragedy was not the first to hit the village, a few miles along the Aber Valley from Caerphilly. | The tragedy was not the first to hit the village, a few miles along the Aber Valley from Caerphilly. |
| An explosion at the colliery in 1901 killed 81 men and there was criticism that the pit owners did not learn lessons from it. | An explosion at the colliery in 1901 killed 81 men and there was criticism that the pit owners did not learn lessons from it. |
| On the morning of 14 October, 1913, there were 950 men down Universal's three pits. Just after 8am, an explosion of methane gas ripped through the colliery. | |
| The last 18 survivors of the blast were pulled out more than two weeks later. Funerals for those who died took place over the next month. | The last 18 survivors of the blast were pulled out more than two weeks later. Funerals for those who died took place over the next month. |
| The idea for a centenary memorial was to remember this and other mining tragedies in Wales. | The idea for a centenary memorial was to remember this and other mining tragedies in Wales. |
| The 150 disasters include the most recent, when four men died at Gleision in the Swansea Valley in 2011. | The 150 disasters include the most recent, when four men died at Gleision in the Swansea Valley in 2011. |
| A day of events started with the sounding of the original Universal Colliery pit hooter at 08:10 BST, exactly as it did a century ago to mark the disaster. | |
| A dedication service in a memorial garden (11:30 BST), the unveiling of a bronze statue of a rescue worker, designed by sculptor Les Johnson, and the laying of floral tributes will also take place. | |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones will be among those attending the commemorations. | |
| The garden includes a "path of memory," detailing other colliery tragedies in Wales. | The garden includes a "path of memory," detailing other colliery tragedies in Wales. |
| A walled garden will also be opened with tiles inscribed with the details of those killed in the two Senghenydd disasters. | A walled garden will also be opened with tiles inscribed with the details of those killed in the two Senghenydd disasters. |
| The Aber Valley Heritage Group has been behind fundraising for the memorial. | The Aber Valley Heritage Group has been behind fundraising for the memorial. |
| Jack Humphreys, group chairman, said: "It has been a hundred years since the disaster at the Universal Colliery, but the impact that the explosion had on this small mining community is still felt today. | Jack Humphreys, group chairman, said: "It has been a hundred years since the disaster at the Universal Colliery, but the impact that the explosion had on this small mining community is still felt today. |
| "We hope the event is a fitting tribute to the victims of the explosions in Senghenydd and mining disasters across Wales." | "We hope the event is a fitting tribute to the victims of the explosions in Senghenydd and mining disasters across Wales." |
| He told BBC Radio Wales: "It's very important for local people and people nationally. It's surprising the number of people who have come from far and wide to be with us this morning. | He told BBC Radio Wales: "It's very important for local people and people nationally. It's surprising the number of people who have come from far and wide to be with us this morning. |
| "There will be many people here today who have had family connections with those who were killed in the disasters of 1901 and 1913." | "There will be many people here today who have had family connections with those who were killed in the disasters of 1901 and 1913." |
| Hilary Barbrook, a local florist from Caerphilly, lost both her grandfathers at Senghenydd. | Hilary Barbrook, a local florist from Caerphilly, lost both her grandfathers at Senghenydd. |
| "We've spoken for years over the tragedy that has happened in this pit, but it's 100 years and it's nice that we're going to honour the people who died," she said. | "We've spoken for years over the tragedy that has happened in this pit, but it's 100 years and it's nice that we're going to honour the people who died," she said. |
| "The village was grown around the pit because beforehand it was farm land and when they sunk the pit, they built the houses around it so everyone was involved. | "The village was grown around the pit because beforehand it was farm land and when they sunk the pit, they built the houses around it so everyone was involved. |
| "My grandmother had a lot of work, she had eight children and was eight months pregnant with the last one when my grandfather died. | "My grandmother had a lot of work, she had eight children and was eight months pregnant with the last one when my grandfather died. |
| "She used to take in washing, ironing, clean houses. She made all of her own clothes for the children so they didn't go without. She worked tremendously hard to keep the family together." | "She used to take in washing, ironing, clean houses. She made all of her own clothes for the children so they didn't go without. She worked tremendously hard to keep the family together." |
| The project, launched with an appeal in 2012, has been supported by Caerphilly council, the Welsh government and organisations like the Heritage Lottery Fund. | The project, launched with an appeal in 2012, has been supported by Caerphilly council, the Welsh government and organisations like the Heritage Lottery Fund. |
| Organisers have arranged for different locations for people to view the memorial events, although the capacity within the garden itself has been restricted to 500. | Organisers have arranged for different locations for people to view the memorial events, although the capacity within the garden itself has been restricted to 500. |
| The centenary day will also include evening performances, a lantern parade and the ringing of bells at St Martin's Church in Caerphilly. | The centenary day will also include evening performances, a lantern parade and the ringing of bells at St Martin's Church in Caerphilly. |
| Wales' footballers will wear black armbands in training later to mark the disaster. They fly to Belgium later for their final World Cup qualifying game. | Wales' footballers will wear black armbands in training later to mark the disaster. They fly to Belgium later for their final World Cup qualifying game. |
| A BBC One Wales programme, Senghenydd - Britain's Worst Mining Disaster, will be shown on BBC One Wales at 22:45 BST on Monday 14 October. | A BBC One Wales programme, Senghenydd - Britain's Worst Mining Disaster, will be shown on BBC One Wales at 22:45 BST on Monday 14 October. |