Aberfan

21 October 1966 A total of 144 people, including 116 children, died when a coal slagheap slid on to Pantglas Junior School in Aberfan. Some 145 children survived, and although they are now in their late 30s and early 40s, researchers found almost half of them had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder at some point since. These people will never forget that day and neather should we.
A tribunal found the National Coal Board was responsible for the disaster, but nobody was sacked or prosecuted. Villagers campaigned vigorously for the tip to be removed, spurred on by findings from the tribunal of inquiry which said an underground stream beneath the tip had probably contributed to the tip moving. The government eventually agreed, but the National Coal Board and the Treasury forced the villagers to contribute £150,000 from the disaster fund towards the removal costs. When I found this out it made me feel sick. Its like taking a dump on somebodys doorstep then charging them £20 to clear it up. The money was eventually repaid 30 years later at the instigation of the then Welsh Secretary Ron Davies, but without any interest payments. Cliff Minett, who lost two of his three children in the disaster, said: "It doesn't matter if it's one year or 40 years on - the pain is just the same."