Aberfan teacher who rescued children dies aged 82

A teacher who smashed a model to assistance his students to information during the 1966 Aberfan catastrophe has died aged 82.

Howell Williams, from Treharris, was conscionable 25 erstwhile the colliery spoil extremity collapsed, engulfing Pantglas Primary School connected 21 October.

The catastrophe killed 144 people, including 116 children. Four teachers survived.

Mr Williams' son, Jonathan Williams, 53, said "he was a beauteous man" but had "struggled" aft the disaster.

Mr Williams, who present lives successful Radyr, Cardiff, said: "I deliberation it changed him, I deliberation helium was a antithetic antheral aft 25 to however helium was before.

"If it happened successful the modern era, it would person been precise different. There was nary counselling then."

The recently qualified PE teacher helped galore children flight by smashing a schoolroom window.

In the BBC programme Surviving Aberfan, subsister Bernard Thomas recounted however his beingness was saved by Mr Williams.

"My representation is of the different kids screaming," helium had said.

"I looked astir and I saw my teacher and I thought I'll get crossed to Mr Williams present and helium helped maine retired done the tiny panes of solid astatine the apical of the schoolroom door."

Pupil Dilys Pope, who was 10 astatine the clip of the disaster, antecedently told the South Wales Argus: "My limb got caught successful a table and I could not determination and my limb was hurting. The children were lying each implicit the place. The teacher, Mr Williams, was besides connected the floor. He managed to escaped himself and helium smashed the model successful the doorway with a stone."I climbed retired and went circular done the hallway and past retired done the window. I opened the schoolroom model and immoderate of the children came retired that way. The teacher got immoderate of the children retired and helium told america to spell home."

In 2008, Queen Elizabeth visited the colony to assistance works a flowering cherry histrion successful the plot of remembrance 30 years aft the disaster.

At the time, Mr Williams spoke to BBC Wales Today's Melanie Doel.

He said: "I wasn't looking guardant to contiguous 1 small bit, I don't deliberation anybody was, but present we've each met, I don't deliberation there's been a tear, it's been rather a pleasant occasion. "