Pontlottyn opencast campaigner saved from a pauper’s funeral by Michael Sheen

An anti-opencast mine campaigner has avoided a pauper’s funeral thanks to the help of Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

Dave Green, from Pontlottyn, died of lung cancer aged 74, after spending his last years campaigning against the proposed Nant Llesg opencast mine in Rhymney.

He did not leave an estate and had no next of kin – meaning he faced the undignified prospect of a local authority funeral.

But other members of the United Valleys Action Group (UVAG) rallied round and created a Go Fund Me that raised £200.

In stepped Michael Sheen, who met Mr Green during filming for the BBC documentary Valley’s Rebellion.

By publicising the cause, the fund rose to £1,240 in three days and Mr Sheen added a donation of his own of an unspecified amount.

The owner of Richards & Appleby Ltd, a cosmetics manufacturer in Rhymney also pledged financial support and Cor Cochion, the Red Choir, will be singing at the funeral.

UVAG Vice Chairman Eddy Blache said: “We will make sure that Dave’s final farewell will be a fitting one for someone who spent so much of his later years selflessly campaigning and helping others.”