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Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
UK News

Wales bishop remembers Aberfan disaster 50 years on: 'You couldn't even hear the birds sing'

by Hannah Tooley

A minute silence has been held across the nation to remember the 116 children and 28 adults who died when it engulfed Aberfan village.

Bishop David Wilbourne, Assistant Bishop at the Diocese of Llandaff, told Premier's Inspirational Breakfast he was a child at the time of the disaster.

He said: "I remember watching the funeral. I was eleven, and eleven year boys don't cry, but I remember crying.

"What actually touched me was they actually sang, there was about 5,000 mourners there, and they sang hymns, and sometimes hymns are a sort of lament, that put your sorrow into words and music."

Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

The Aberfan disaster is being commemorated with special services and prayer on Friday.

Bishop David Wilbourne went on: "One of the things that is said about the disaster is that when the slurry tip had stopped sliding, there was total silence.

"You couldn't even hear the birds singing... we're a society full of words these days and, goodness me, when something like that happens you feel absolutely terrible.

"Maybe the silence is probably more eloquent than all those thousands of words."

He will address a service of remembrance at St David's Church in Merthyr Tydfil on Thursday evening.

Listen to Premier's Rosie and John speak to Bishop David Wilbourne here:

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