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A new memorial commemorating the tragic death of Darren Smith and the two children he tried to save in a house fire will be unveiled later this year.

Darren lost his life trying to save two-year-old Geraint Lewis and his nine-month-old sister Jade from a fire in their home on the Lansbury Park estate in December 1989.

Questions were raised by residents last year after Caerphilly County Borough Council announced the existing plaque would be removed from the former GP surgery.

The council has since announced a new memorial will be created on Maxton Court, with work to begin shortly.

Councillor for the Van ward, Christine Forehead, gave some details on what the memorial will look like: “We plan on planting three trees, to represent the three people that lost their lives in terrible circumstances.

“The plaque will also be part of the memorial, and I know from speaking to the community that everyone is pleased.”

Cllr Forehead went on to say the council will approach the family of Darren, Geraint, and Jade to ask what they want the memorial ceremony to look like.

Cllr Shayne Cook, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We hope that the new memorial will offer a place for family, friends and the wider community to visit and remember the extraordinary bravery shown by Darren, and the lives that were tragically lost that night.”

At around 10.45 pm on December 29, 1989, a fire broke out on the ground floor of a two-storey maisonette in Maxton Court, Lansbury Park, Caerphilly.

Neighbour Darren Smith, aged 20, heard the cries for help from the mother living in the flat and, together with another neighbour, tried to break in through the front door.

Darren managed to break through and went into the burning building in an attempt to save the two children, Geraint and his sister Jade.

While the mother of the children found a way out, the neighbour and Darren became separated in the thick smoke of the fire. The neighbour, unable to breath, came out for fresh air before heading back into the flat. As the fire grew, he was forced to leave once again.

Firefighters later found the body of Darren, a security guard, and the two children.

For his efforts, Darren was posthumously awarded the The Queen’s Gallantry Medal for exemplary bravery.