Aberfan disaster survivor Jeff Edwards 'honoured' to receive OBE from King Charles

This story contains upsetting details that some may find distressing

Aberfan disaster survivor Jeff Edwards said it was "a great honour and a privilege" to be presented with his OBE by King Charles.

The then eight-year-old was one of 240 pupils at Pantglas Junior School when a coal waste tip came crashing down a hillside, engulfing the school and surrounding homes, nearly 60 years ago.

On that day - Friday 21 October 1966 - 116 children and 28 adults died in the close-knit Merthyr Tydfil community.

Edwards was given his OBE for his services to fellow survivors of disasters, to charity and to the community in Aberfan in a ceremony held at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

Edwards, who is the Deputy Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan, was the last child to be brought out alive from the wreckage of the school.

He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that it was "absolutely wonderful" to receive the honour from the King, who he had hosted on his last visit to Aberfan when he was Prince of Wales.

"He said 'nice to see you again Mr Edwards', because I've met him several times before, and he enquired as to how the wives' group were doing because he has got a favourite spot for them," he said.

Edwards said he had also met the Queen on several occasions and "she always used to call me 'the boy with the white hair'".

"I said to the King, little did I know an eight-year-old buried in the disaster in Aberfan would be standing before the King and receiving this medal, it's totally unreal really," he said.

Recalling what happened on 21 October 1966, he said: "I remember a thunder sound before the disaster happened and the teacher reassuring us that it was only thunder and the next thing waking up with a dead girl on my shoulder."

He said he could see light coming in above him and he heard screams and shouts around him.

Edwards was dug out by fireman Roy Thomas, who he was reunited with many years later when he was Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil, adding that he was glad to have been able to personally thank him "for saving my life all those years ago".

Edwards said it was important that his experience of being involved in the disaster could inform the development of services for other people.

The former High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan said: "I think it's important really that survivors of any disaster or any tragedy have the proper support for them to get through the trauma of being involved in such an accident."

He said he had been involved in the Hillsborough Charter for the bereaved and survivors.

This included "working with people from Hillsborough, from the Manchester bombing and from Grenfell in getting together a charter that all public services in Wales have now adopted as an important way forward".

The Hillsborough Charter is an effort to learn lessons from past mistakes where victims were unsupported, ignored or blamed by those that should have been there to support them.

It compels bodies such as the police to tell the truth and avoid "defending the indefensible".

Each signatory will be expected to be open, honest and transparent with victims, and when they face public inquiries.