Prime Minister Andy Burnham Visits Aberfan Ahead of 60th Anniversary
BBC Homepage
Accessibility Help
Sign in
Home
News
...
By Stephen Fairclough, Iolo Cheung, Reporting from Aberfan, and Oliver Slow, BBC Wales
Published 19 October 2026, 13:46 BST
Updated 5 minutes ago
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has met a survivor of the Aberfan disaster, as well as others with connections to the tragedy, days before the 60th anniversary.
Burnham visited the Aberfan memorial garden on Monday morning alongside Jeff Edwards, one of the last children to be rescued from the wreckage, and Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock.
"It's been 60 years since one of the most horrifying tragedies this country has ever seen. All of those children lost," Burnham said.
On October 21, 1966, 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a colliery spoil tip collapsed, burying a primary school and surrounding houses.
The prime minister emphasized the importance of recognizing the community's strength and the inadequate treatment they received from authorities at the time.
"The strength of the community today is something to see and something to feel. To say also to them, I don't think Aberfan was treated properly by the authorities and that also needs to be recognized," he said.
Pupils from Caegarw Primary School in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, visited the memorial garden unaware of the prime minister's presence.
Burnham spent time in the garden, spoke to those gathered outside, and visited a community centre, highlighting the importance of coal tip safety in former mining communities.
He announced his government's commitment to providing £140m to the Welsh government, with additional funding from them, to ensure the safety of remaining tips across Wales.
"There's an organization that is being set up to manage all of these ongoing risks," he added.
Ellis, 10, whose granddad helped with the rescue effort, and Holly, 10, with a personal connection to the tragedy, were among the pupils he met.
Burnham will be joined by King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Prince William on Wednesday to mark the anniversary, following in the footsteps of the late Queen Elizabeth II.