A teacher who led pupils to safety during the Aberfan school disaster has died aged 86.
Rennie Williams, from Merthyr Tydfil, was recognised for her bravery when a colliery spoil tip collapsed on to Pantglas primary school and a number of surrounding buildings on 21 October 1966. A total of 116 children and 28 adults were killed in the disaster.
Williams, who had been receiving treatment for cancer, died on Wednesday.
In an interview with Wales Online in 2006, Williams said of the 1966 tragedy: “We were just taking register and carrying on as normal. I heard a terrible noise that I thought must be the caretaker moving furniture around in the hall. Of course it wasnt.”
Some of her pupils were injured and trapped in the school hall, but Williams managed to bring them out of the building safely.
She was one of four teachers who survived the disaster, along with Mair Morgan, Hettie Williams and Howell Williams. She returned to teach the surviving children after the disaster.
David Davies, the chair of the Aberfan Memorial Charity, said: “Rennie was a much loved and respected member of our community family for many years, being first one of the heroic surviving teachers at Pantglas junior school at the time of the Aberfan disaster in 1966 and later at the new Ynysowen village school.
“Rennie nurtured many of the young children of our community and others over many decades of service, and her legacy will live on through all who were privileged to know and be guided by her in those formative early years.
“We had many opportunities to meet up with Rennie and the other surviving teachers over the years, including at the 50th anniversary commemorative events in 2016, and it was always such a joy. Rennie will be sadly missed but never forgotten here in Aberfan.”
Jeff Edwards, who was eight years old when he was rescued from the rubble, described Williams as a “lovely lady, very caring and thoughtful”.
He told BBC Wales: “She saved a lot of children. And in the years later, she always stayed in touch with them.”
Edwards said he was saddened that only a small number of people would be able to attend her funeral owing to coronavirus restrictions.
“Its so sad, Im sure hundreds would have wanted to go. I just hope they are able to hold a memorial service sometime later,” he said.
