Aberfan chapel faces partial demolition due to disrepair

The chapel was gutted in an arson attack in 2015 and the remaining structure has become unsafe

A chapel which served as a makeshift mortuary during the Aberfan disaster will be partially demolished.

Capel Aberfan, which suffered an arson attack in July 2015, has been declared an "immediate danger to the public" after falling further into disrepair.

Many of the bodies were taken there of the 144 people who died in October 1966 when a coal waste tip slid down a mountain and engulfed a school.

Merthyr Tydfil council says emergency action will make the building safe.

Daniel Brown, from Nixonville, Merthyr Vale, was jailed in 2016 for arson after causing more than £500,000 of damage to the chapel.

Built in 1876, the chapel had closed in 2012 but at the time of the fire was being renovated with a mind to future community use.

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The council said it had made numerous, unsuccessful attempts since then to contact the private owners over the bowing and dangerous leaning of the front elevation, putting the building at risk of collapse.

In view of its historical significance, a demolition contractor will be brought in to remove only the first storey of the original structure to make it safe.

Councillor David Hughes, cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said: "Our number one priority is the safety of the public and these works are essential in supporting that.

"Engineers have been monitoring the structure closely and unfortunately there is no other option than to remove the first storey of the building," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Those undertaking the demolition will ensure that the remainder of the building isn't damaged further in case of any future restoration."

The work begins on Tuesday and is expected to take two weeks with temporary traffic lights in place for two days while scaffolding is erected.