Gleision mine verdict: 'A difficult day' for families

The families of four men who died in a Swansea Valley mine have described the clearing of the mine's operators as "a difficult day".

Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Philip Hill, 44, and Garry Jenkins, 39, drowned in 2011 when 650,000 gallons of water flooded the Gleision drift mine following a controlled explosion.

Manager Malcolm Fyfield, 58, and mine owners MNS Mining were cleared of manslaughter through gross negligence.

In a statement read outside the court, the families said the lost men would "remain in our hearts forever".