A mass brawl at the darts to Retired reporter shares his favourite stories in new book

A RETIRED Rhondda Leader newspaper reporter has published a book of memories while covering stories in the valley spanning almost 30 years.

The paperback book called The Nine Stone Cowboy and more... has been written by Dave Edwards.

In the book, Dave, 73, looks back at a collection of stories through the years while on the newsdesk of our sister paper, the Leader, and also as a reporter in Lancashire and West Wales.

He fulfilled a lifetime dream of becoming a newspaper reporter at the age of 38 after more than 30 jobs including being a collier, grave digger, an insurance agent and a security officer.

Nantymoel-born Dave, who retired as deputy editor of the Leader eight years ago, said: “When I joined the Rhondda Leader in the early 1980s the office was based in the Welsh Harp building in Pontypridd where there was a staff of 10 reporters and two photographers.

“I can also recall the Leader changing from a broadsheet to a tabloid and also black and white pictures moving on to colour.

“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster really. I have reported on the good and bad times in the valley but for me it has been a wonderful reporting life.”

The book contains almost 100 stories including the time that Dave was banned from Tynewydd Labour club, when he was mistaken for a distraction thief and reporting on Superman’s dad visiting Porth.

Although spending most of his reporting life with the Leader, Dave also worked in Lancashire where he did Saturday shifts for the Sunday Sport newspaper.

“That was an incredible experience,” he said. “Writing the book has brought back some brilliant memories which I wanted to share.”

Dave has picked out 11 of his favourite stories for us from his time with the Leader. Here they are... Dave said the circulation figures went “through the roof” after this story was published in October 1983.

He explained: “The story was about the final of the popular Rhondda Leader Darts championship held at the Tynewydd Labour Club which ended in a massive punch-up with fights all over the hall and beer bottles flying everywhere.

“In the aftermath the reporter and photographer covering the event were banned from the club and it also signalled the end of the darts championship.”

Drunk in Charge of a Horse This was the story of a “blotto bloke” who was heading home after a Christmas party.

Dave explained: “Forget about a bus, train or taxi or even Shank’s Pony, this guzzled guy helped himself to a horse he spotted in a field.

“Stunned bystanders contacted the police when he was spotted riding bareback down a valley main road clinging to the horse for dear life.” Dave said this was a tale of