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Eighty-year-old Bill Gabb was born and raised in Cwmsyfiog, New Tredegar.

It is a place close to his heart – and it shows. Well-known for his community and charity work, the ex-miner is a prolific wordsmith with countless poems and ten books to his name. The area he loves features heavily in his work.

His latest novel, The Collier Girl, is the fictional, yet historically accurate, account of a young girl called Blodwen Jones. Born towards the 19th Century in New Tredegar, Bill’s story tells of her struggles working in the local colliery sorting and washing coal once it had been mined.

The inspiration for the story came from a neighbour Bill knew who had the same job at the colliery as the character in her book.

He said: “She was 92-years-old and she died recently. She used to tell me all about her experiences working there.”

The historically accurate setting reveals a world without many of the mod-cons we take for granted today – running water, electricity, cars, and other household appliances like washing machines.

Some of the harsh conditions depicted in the book are all too familiar to Bill.

A week after leaving school at 15 he started as a miner at Elliot Colliery.

An accident involving a haulage rope saw Bill leave the mine and join the Army.

He was later posted to Germany.

After four years service he returned to Cwmsyfiog and married Pat in 1964 and embarked on a new career as a builder.

Despite his work keeping him busy over the decades, he still managed to carry out valuable community and charity work – helping to co-found the New Tredegar and District Chairmobile Fund in 1974.

Over the years the charity has helped countless individuals with electric wheelchairs, nebulisers, and other medical equipment.

Copies of The Collier Girl are available to buy from a variety of shops and outlets in towns across Caerphilly County Borough including New Tredegar Library.