The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Nine part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
55 years on, survivors of the Aberfan disaster are now looking to the future – as well as the past
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
This episode Includes strong language and first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the aftermath of the disaster that struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
1 Dec 2021
Part Eight: Battles won and lost...
Aberfan suffers further blows – but fights on.
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the aftermath of the disaster that struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Andy Fry and Maria David
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
24 Nov 2021
Part Seven: A time to heal?
Aberfan comes together to try to mend its wounds. But further traumas lie ahead for both survivors and bereaved.
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the aftermath of the disaster that struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
17 Nov 2021
Part Six: "Those tips must go..."
A promise is made - the remaining tips above Aberfan will be removed. But at what cost to the village?
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the aftermath of the disaster that struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Andy Fry and Maria David
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
10 Nov 2021
Part Five: The Search for Answers
What happened at Aberfan and why? The Aberfan Disaster Tribunal will examine the facts – and establish whether it could have been prevented. Will it be a whitewash?
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the aftermath of the disaster that struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Andy Fry and Maria David
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
Dramatic reconstructions
Keiron Self as Desmond Ackner
Richard Elfyn as Lord Robens and Lesley Davies
Rhys ap William as David Lewis Roberts
Special thanks to the people of Aberfan and all those who trusted us to tell their stories.
3 Nov 2021
Part Four: Counting the Cost
The last survivors are rescued from the slurry as the full horror of what has happened at Aberfan becomes clear
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the day disaster struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
Special thanks to the people of Aberfan and all those who trusted us to tell their stories.
27 Oct 2021
Part Three: Help is coming
With Pantglas School buried by thousands of tonnes of coal waste, rescuers race against the clock in an urgent search for survivors.
The Aberfan disaster shook the world.116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
Includes strong, first-hand testimony from both survivors and rescuers about the day disaster struck their small mining village.
A nine-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
Special thanks to the people of Aberfan and all those who trusted us to tell their stories.
20 Oct 2021
Part One: Prologue - the price of coal
Coal is king in the south Wales valleys of the 1960s. It brings jobs to thousands of households. But it is about to exact a terrible price on one small community.
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
A 9-part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
Special thanks to the people of Aberfan and all those who trusted us to tell their stories.
20 Oct 2021
Part Two: "And then it was blackout...”
Three young classmates head to school one misty morning - a morning that will devastate their community and change their lives forever.
The Aberfan disaster shook the world - 116 children and 28 adults died on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip engulfed a junior school and surrounding homes. How could this happen? It’s a tale of unheeded warnings, broken promises, and a shattered community’s fight for justice.
A 9 part podcast series from the same stable as 'Shreds'.
Narrator: Hannah Daniel
Producers: Maria David and Andy Fry
Sound design: Cathy Robinson
Executive producers: Karen Voisey and Emma Harding
Development: Ceri Jackson and Selma Chalabi
Archive research: Dafydd O’Connor
Original title music: Dyfan Jones
Production manager: Andrea Deere
Special thanks to the people of Aberfan and all those who trusted us to tell their stories.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Contact Aberfan: Tip Number 7
Guest appearances
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