A nondescript stone building, squeezed on the banks of the River Taff hides one of Wales' most unusual natural wonders. Within the dilapidated walls lies a unique well which never runs dry, fed by naturally waters rising from deep below the earth's surface. The well in the small village of Taff's Well, north of Cardiff , is like no other in Wales - it was built to contain the only thermal spring in the country. In the 18th and 19th centuries, people travelled from far and wide to experience the so-called restorative powers of its naturally-heated water. Today, the well is enclosed in darkness, the dank atmosphere and scummy water hiding a truly remarkable phenomenon. A 5,000 year journey The Taff's Well spring gives the village it's name. The water in the spiral-stepped well, which plunges four metres into the ground, is always around 21.6 degrees C. That's about four degrees less than an average swimming pool. Bubbling to the surface is water which had not seen the light of day for … [Read more...] about The ancient well with ‘healing’ water heated from below the earth
Black water rising
Black Water County to play Bideford
PUBLISHED: 13:58 04 April 2018 Alys Miller Catch Black Water County at The Palladium Club in Bideford on Friday, April 6. Archant The up-and-coming band Black Water County will be performing at the Palladium Club in Bideford on Friday. The six-piece band from Bournemouth are taking their debut album Taking Chances across the country. With Brad Hutchings-Clarke on guitar, Gavin Coles playing banjo, Tim Harris on vocals, Andy L Smooth playing drums, Shan Byrom on tin whistle and Russ Scagell on the fiddle, the band are hoping to continue on their success at a number of venues around the UK. After five years of performing, the band has played on the same lists as popular bands Less Than Jake, The Rumpjacks and the Dreadnoughts. They have also performed in front of thousands of people at national festivals including Boomtown and Camp Bestival and have recently had their latest single Rise and Fall played on BBC radio. Tickets are available via www.palladiumclub.co.uk … [Read more...] about Black Water County to play Bideford
Houston police officer shoots dead unarmed black man walking along road with trousers down
A police officer gunned down an unarmed man who was wandering down a road with his trousers down. A dashboard camera captured Danny Ray Thomas walking towards Sheriff’s deputy Cameron Brewer with his hands by his sides in Houston, Texas. The officer can be heard repeatedly shouting “get on the ground” before a gunshot rings out. Both men are black. Read more California police shoot unarmed black man 20 times at grandparents' Thomas’ family urged local politicians at a Houston City Council meeting to act over “police brutality”. His sister Kita Thomas-Smith told the Houston Chronicle: “It feels like premeditated murder. He was clearly walking, not running, towards the deputy, not trying to hurt or harm him.” She said her brother had been suffering from depression after the deaths of his two children in 2016 but had not been diagnosed with a mental illness, his family said. Harris County deputy … [Read more...] about Houston police officer shoots dead unarmed black man walking along road with trousers down
Brexit could harm my sons’ access to treatment for rare ‘black bone’ disease, says father who quit job to find cure
Two brothers that suffer from a rare condition that will eventually turn their bones black and attack their joints, could be denied access to new treatments because of Brexit, their father has warned. Julien and Daniel Sireau were born with a condition called alkaptonuria – also known as black bone disease or AKU. The extremely rare genetic condition affecting around one person in every 250,000. “We found out a few months after Julien’s birth, when we saw his nappies were going red-black,” their father, Nick Sireau, told The Independent. Read more One in five EU doctors make plans to leave NHS because of withdrawal Brexit is ‘biggest threat’ to the future of the NHS, say 100 MPs, MEPs Patient access to clinical trials ‘at risk’ after Brexit “We called in a doctor who tested for blood, didn’t find any and said it was down to my … [Read more...] about Brexit could harm my sons’ access to treatment for rare ‘black bone’ disease, says father who quit job to find cure
America’s biggest mass pirate burial ground holds remains of Captain Black Sam Bellamy’s crew, say researchers
America’s largest mass pirate burial ground has been discovered and it contains the remains of the crew of Captain Black Sam Bellamy, the revolutionary “Robin Hood of the sea”, researchers believe. The site on the shores of Cape Cod may contain the bodies of as many as 102 men whose corpses were washed ashore after their ship the Whydah went to the bottom while still carrying much of the treasure that had made Bellamy the highest-earning pirate of all time. “We believe that we have found the largest mass burial ground in the US,” said expedition leader Casey Sherman. “Over 100 pirates washed ashore on Cape Cod, and our team believe we have located [where they were buried.] Read more Salvage team set fair to identify Blackbeard's ship Mr Sherman said that for now the burial ground’s precise location would have to remain secret, but he hoped that eventually it would become a public memorial site. “It’s very hallowed … [Read more...] about America’s biggest mass pirate burial ground holds remains of Captain Black Sam Bellamy’s crew, say researchers