Sheen to light up town’s Christmas

ACTOR Michael Sheen is more normally used to the bright lights of Hollywood.

But this year the Port Talbot star and activist will be switching on the town lights in Ystradgynlais on Thursday evening.

It is a major coup for the community and comes in the wake of the star taking a shine to the area while filming Tate Britain’s Great British Walks with art historian Gus Casely-Hayford. During the show they followed in the footsteps of painter Josef Herman, or “Joe Bach” as he was affectionately known, a Polish Jewish émigré who fled from the Nazis in the 1940s and settled in Ystradgynlais.

Officials said he was so enamoured by the experience, he has now agreed to press the switch when Christmas celebrations get under way at 5pm in the town’s Gorsedd Park on Thursday. The event will start at 5pm, with mulled wine and mince pies on sale in the park.