The victory so nearly saw the Bulls crowned as champions but Bridgend Athletic, locked together 19-19 at Kidwelly with two minutes left, pipped them for that accolade by a single point after grabbing a late win on a highly dramatic afternoon.

Builth’s injured captain Wayne Morris was at Kidwelly providing updates and, while the Bulls would have loved to go up as champs, they’re just delighted to have secured promotion.

“We’re a small town club and we’re just chuffed to bits to get back up into the first division,” said Builth coach David Jones, who now hopes leading players from the region’s other clubs will decide to further their careers by signing for them.

“We want to be seen as the Mid Wales club and we want boys with ability from Llani, Newtown, Llandrindod and Rhayader to join up with our strong nucleus of local lads.

“Anyone playing elsewhere in Mid Wales will be warmly welcomed and we want to give it a good crack in the first division where we will be playing against semi-pro sides. Hopefully some more local lads will want to come into it with us.”

Jones is delighted with how well this season has gone for Builth, stressing: “We didn’t have that many goals at the start but we had a brilliant run and it just snowballed from there.

“We had a bit of a dip after Christmas but I always knew we would come back and beat the two other teams up at the top with us which we did. We put 37 points on Bridgend and then also won at Loughor.”

Builth wrapped up their season with another win as they saw of Mumbles last weekend. Tries from Gethin Davies, Ben Duggan and Geraint Jones, plus 10 points from John Thurston, saw the Bulls over the finishing line.

“We went 18-0 up early on and played some brilliant stuff,” added Jones. “Mumbles came back at us but we managed to hold on.”  

Richards, who had been at the helm of the West Midland League premier division club for the past four years, signed off last Saturday in style with a 5-0 hammering of Darlaston.

And the club, pondering what direction to take next term, have already made significant moves to install a successor with a couple of names in the frame following discussions this week.

Richards had told the club’s board six weeks ago he was likely to step down,  making an official announcement before last Saturday’s home game against Darlaston.

“We’re all delighted the last match went so well for Chris with the 5-0 win,” said the club’s vice-chairman Chris Moss.

“We wanted to wait until after his last game in charge before saying anything, but the sooner that we are able to appoint a successor the better as it would give them most of the summer to plan for next season.

“We have been talking to a couple of interested parties and we could be in a position to make an announcement next week.”

Meanwhile, Richards called time on his spell at Ludlow by seeing his side wallop Darlaston 5-0 at the SBS Stadium – but even such a goal bonanza did not give the departing manager any second thoughts about leaving.

Sean Evans, the former Manchester United trainee now with Cinderford Town, made the most of an outing for his home town club by firing a hat-trick while Paul Whatmough and Martin Jones also found the net.

“It was great to finish with a win like that,” he said. “If we could have put out the same squad as that week in, week out we could have given it a good go in the league, but unfortunately it has never worked out like that.

“With all the ups and downs of the season, to win our last two games is very pleasing.

“Things have been hard all season with an unsettled team, but the lads have kept at it and shown that they can compete at this level.

“Ludlow Town is a big club and it will be sad to go but I have had four good years, and thanks must go to all of my backroom staff.”

He added: “Speaking to the lads afterwards, quite a few want to be here next season but it will be down to whoever takes over and what his plans are.”

Richards’ last official date with Ludlow will be the club’s presentation night on Saturday, May 23 – but he could not have wished for a better finale on the pitch.

Against their faltering visitors, Ludlow looked a different team with crisp passing and slick movement, and on 25 minutes Evans opened the scoring from a perfectly weighted cross from Simon Newhill.

The hosts did have some luck when Darlaston hit the post while also having an effort cleared off the line.

But they extended their lead just before half time when the lively Evans became provider to set up Whatmough to fire home.

Ludlow dominated the second period and Evans doubled his tally midway through the half.

The hosts kept pressing and made it 4-0 through  Jones before Evans netted his hat-trick.

The town’s Chamber of Trade is behind the SummerFest plans, which will feature events in Rectory Field, the Square and Church Street. But this week the Journal was contacted by Godfrey Callwood, a resident of St Laurence Close, right next to Rectory Field.

“We are all old people and we don’t want it at all, said Mr Callwood, “two of the properties are only a metre from the field. Lots of people here are against it; it’s a heritage site and conservation area.

“Rectory Field is not a recreation ground, he continued, “it’s uneven and small. I’m 67, I’ve seen a lot of life and this field hasn’t got the capacity for pop music.

“Two years ago on Bonfire Night the fire was so hot the people all surged to the fence, which was dangerous.

“But that was an event for locals so numbers were limited. The chamber of trade are sending out hundreds of leaflets about the SummerFest so it will be national.”

Mr Callwood is calling for more information on the SummerFest and any other events planned for the field, as well as for a risk assessment of the field.

He also plans to object to Church Stretton Town Council’s application for an entertainments licence to cover Rectory Field.

Mr Callwood also believes the town council should have kept locals informed about its application.

Jane Van Doesburg, chairman of Church Stretton Chamber, said: “The town council is fully aware of the St Laurence’s Close residents concerns and has already issued a sensitive response. The Chamber of Trade has also been in touch with residents concerned, with the intention of keeping them suitably informed.

She added: “Rectory Field is a community recreation ground in the centre of Church Stretton. The Chamber of Trade is doing all possible to minimise noise and  inconvenience to all residents in the town.”

A letter from the chamber has been delivered by hand to residents.

It said: “Rectory Field will be used mainly for children’s entertainment during the day, ending  with a family type musical evening.  

“We are writing to assure all residents – particularly those living around Rectory Field – that we are fully conscious of the need to ensure as little inconvenience as possible is caused to residents, and we will do our utmost to meet that need.   

“Bands will play from 6.30pm until around 10pm, the layout of  equipment in Rectory Field will be such as to deflect noise (and any lighting, if used) away from housing and measures will be in place to ensure full security and control.   

“We thank you for your co-operation, assistance and support and hope very much that everyone will enjoy the first Chamber of Trade SummerFest.”

This week Rose Cottage Cat Rescue, Bushmoor, said the charity won’t be able to accept any more unwanted cats until until July, at the earliest.

The rescue centre took in the 16 cats from one home in March – a massive undertaking for a small charity.

The cats were not neutered, were infested, some had cat flu and others needed eye and tail surgery. Eight have already been rehomed and the others are all now doing well. But vet bills hammered the charity’s finances.

Sarah Wells, who runs Rose Cottage, said: “A majority of the work was done in March with the bill at £1,500, so the cost is probably around £2,000. That’s a lot of money and at a time when it’s harder to get money.

“People don’t have as much money in their pockets and they can only give what they can afford. So the credit crunch has hit us.

“But these cats needed to be taken in and I suspect that other charities would have put them to sleep.  It’s great now to see the cats doing so well now.

“All this has come at a tremendous costs and this massive rescue has used up all our resources. As a result we have had to take the difficult decision to close the rescue cattery to incoming cats until we have rehomed some of these cats and built our funds back up.

“It is never easy to say no to cats in need of help but we cannot take in cats we cannot afford to care for.”

The next fundraising event for Rose Cottage will be a jumble sale on May 16 at Church Stretton Parish Centre.

Residents claim the area will be blighted, with only minor developments such as home extensions and agricultural buildings likely to be allowed, even though some of the area will never be quarried because of the existence of roads, homes and sites of special scientific interest.

Powys County Council’s Board recommended to the full council at a meeting on Tuesday to press ahead with the changes, which will block major development in the area, rather than risk fines of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Members are fully expecting a second public enquiry due to the number of objections, as a result of their recommendation.

The Assembly has directed Powys County Council to change its Unitary Development Plan to protect the hard rock reserves, otherwise the plan cannot be adopted and the council could risk unlimited fines.

The issue has already gone to a public inquiry once, when evidence was submitted which challenged the quality of the mineral resource. The inspector recommended that the area to the north of Garth should not be safeguarded. As a result, the Assembly and Powys County Council co-funded the British Geological Survey to carry out work to confirm the quality of the rock.

The BGS’s report confirmed the existence of the hard rock used as non-slip surfaces and as a result the Assembly directed the council to change its UDP to protect the resource.

At a Board meeting on Tuesday, portfolio holder for regeneration and development Councillor Wynne Jones said that if the council wanted to adopt the UDP they had no alternative but to make the modifications to protect the hard rock. He said the Assembly was not prepared to allow anything other than minor developments in the Garth area.

Local member Councillor David Price said the community was extremely angry and upset. “We are talking about 1,000 acres, quite a number of houses, roads and SSSIs that we know will never ever be quarried despite being in the safeguarded area. If there was to be a ring put around the quarry area that would be accepted. What this means is that the area will become a planning blight.”

Councillor Price said the Assembly was due to present a mineral map of Wales which is likely to show up areas that will be far better for hard rock reserves with better access to trunk roads to move the rock.

“It seems ridiculous that we are pushing ahead with this when a body of work which will be presented within a matter of months will give a better picture of what is available,” he said.

He asked if there was any other ways the council could approach the problem.

Councillor Wynne Jones said: “I feel for the community and the unnecessary blight that this has put on them. The situation is as simple as this – either we make the modifications safeguarding what the Assembly wants or we make a decision not to proceed with the Unitary Development Plan, abandon it, and start the Local Development Plan and leave ourselves open to fines which could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

A final decision on the Board’s recommendation to modify the unitary development plan to safeguard the hard rock resources, will be made by the full council on May 14.

Royal Mail say the route is no longer viable, despite carrying over 2,600 passengers over the last twelve months.

In 2002 there were 15 post bus routes in Wales, mainly in rural mid-Wales, covering more than 8,000 miles. At the beginning of April 2009 there were just three left, and with the withdrawal of the service linking Rhandimwyn and other Carmarthenshire hamlets with Lampeter on April 4, the Elan Valley route was among the very last services of its kind. 

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “Passenger numbers are low and the route is not financially viable. We have explored all options to reduce costs and increase income from the service but finally Royal Mail felt it had no choice but to cease the service and focus on its core business of collecting, sorting and delivering mail.”

A Powys County Council spokesman said: “The council is aware of the decision but currently supports a demand-response service that operates in the Elan Valley.”

Brecon and Radnor AM, Kirsty Williams, who knew nothing of the decision said: “More widespread consultation would have been welcome. The post bus is important for accessing services such as the job centre in Llandrindod. The withdrawal will hit the most vulnerable – the elderly who can no longer drive, the young and those who can’t afford the running costs of a car. 

“Powys County Council’s demand-response buses only run when users have booked a journey by telephone. Potential visitors may not understand or know how to book such a journey. The post bus is the only public transport to the Elan Valley identified by the official Traveline journey planner.”

Gill O’Shea, proprietor of the Riverside Lodge guest house in the Elan Valley, said the withdrawal was the latest in a series of cuts in rural Powys.

“It’s a backward step, especially in a recession,” she said. “We are trying to encourage visitors and services are being cut. Some of our guests use the post bus, especially walkers. Many locals use the service, too.”

The Journal can reveal that medical and scientific equipment manufacturers Polymer is quitting some of its units on the Mynd Industrial Estate, Church Stretton, and moving to the former Nightingales premises at Long Lane, Craven Arms.

Adrian Williams, operations director for Polymer at Church Stretton, said, when questioned about the move rumour: “Yes it is correct. We are re-locating from Church Stretton to Craven Arms. 

“We have set up a first class manufacturing line at Craven Arms.

“Some 35 to 40 per cent of our workforce will be in Craven Arms, with the move completed by the end of May. We have to do this stage by stage.”

Polymer will still keeps its Essex Road base in Church Stretton, and a small number of industrial estate units in the town.

Mr Williams said the new Craven Arms industrial estate premises would give more space for production.

He said Polymer’s parent company Varian was so pleased with operations in south Shropshire that it had switched manufacture of certain products from the USA to the district. He added it was all positive news for Polymer.

But plans for job expansion at Craven Arms have been put on hold in the current economic climate, and it will be existing jobs that move out from Church Stretton.

Asked whether staff were happy with the move, Mr Williams said: “Some people who live further away are not pleased about it, but there are some who live in Craven Arms who will find it much easier.”

Bob Welch, Mayor of Church Stretton, said: “Varian Inc (formerly Polymer) did advise the town council of their plans some weeks ago, not only transferring staff to Craven Arms but ceasing to use up to six of the units on the Mynd Industrial Estate.    

“That is why I have been so actively and unavailingly lobbying for Royal Mail to retain their delivery office on the estate because it was an attraction to mail order firms. 

“Since the Royal Mail closure announcement, I have been advised of at least one such firm which has  pulled out of moving to the estate and I anticipate there will be others.”

He blamed high rental costs at the Mynd Industrial Estate for the problems.

“Given the pressure on our local retailers at present, the last thing we need in Church Stretton is for our only industrial estate to be half empty on a long term basis, when we are crying out for more employment opportunities, especially for our young people.”

At Monday’s meeting two nominations were received and seconded for the position of Town Mayor elect, and after a vote, Councillor Taylor-Smith was elected. 

Two nominations were also received and seconded for the position of Deputy Town Mayor elect and, after a vote, Councillor Davies was elected. 

The formal Mayor Making Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 13 at 7pm in The Auditorium of Ludlow Assembly Rooms. 

This is an open meeting and members of the public are warmly invited to attend. 

The Mayor’s Sunday Service will be on May 11 at 3.30pm in the  St Laurence’s Church, and the main focus of the Service will be Age Concern - the chosen charity of the outgoing mayor, Councillor Jim Newbold.

The date of the Annual Town Residents Meeting is Friday, May 29 at 7.30pm. 

A venue is yet to be arranged but will be released shortly, along with an invitation to residents to submit items for discussion.

Shropshire County Primary Care Trust is working with partner agencies, including local authorities, and GPs to make sure that a joined-up approach is taken when dealing with the risks of the disease.

All local health organisations are reiterating the current national advice and guidance on how to help stop the spread of swine flu. 

Information can be found on the internet at www.shropshire.nhs.uk  

The advice to anyone who suffers  flu-like symptoms, and has recently returned from one of the affected areas in the world, including Mexico and the USA, to not go to their GP’s surgery.  

Instead they should stay at home, contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or phone the surgery for more advice. Drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamol to relieve any symptoms.

The national swine flu information line is 0800 1513 513.

Muriel Eggerton suffers with epilepsy, osteo-arthritis and was diagnosed with vascular dementia on Clywedog assessment ward on March 24.

Her daughter, Jackie Eggerton-Phillips has been told her mum needs 24 hour nursing care in a specialist home, and a bed has been found at Gibraltar House in Monmouth, close to where Jackie lives.

Muriel is entitled to a weekly payment for nursing needs and would have to hand over her £130 a week pension to contribute to the cost of her care, but to meet the cost Jackie needs a deferred loan from Social Services, which she will pay back in full once her mother’s house is sold.

Muriel’s social worker has applied for funding from Powys County Council twice, but it has been deferred because of a shortage of funding.

The council says social services is already facing a £2 million shortfall and demand is far out-stripping resources.

Jackie said: “I live in Gilwern and I am the only relative my mum has apart from her sister who lives in America. If my mother was able to take up this place in Gibralter House I could visit her every day and give her the emotional support she needs.

“This whole experience has been very traumatic for her; she has been taken from her home of 36 years and has been in strange environments since her hospital admission.

“Her vascular dementia means she gets confused and has hallucinations. She needs routine, consistency and familiar surroundings.

“My mum is receiving excellent care from all the staff on Clywedog Ward but this ongoing deferment is in no way fair on my mum because she is on an assessment ward where consultants and patients come and go; she does not have her own room and there are strangers around all the time.

“My mum needs to be housed in Gibraltar House where she will be able to settle in a permanent home.

“She is a vulnerable, elderly woman who is now being kept in hospital due to the fact that her funding application has not yet been agreed, which is not good for my mum’s condition. She is also taking up a much needed hospital bed – bed blocking – which could be freed up for someone who actually needs the assessment process.

“It is totally unfair and unacceptable that my mum is being placed in a position whereby she may lose her offer of a bed at Gibraltar House. She has suffered enough already.”

Jackie has written to Brecon and Radnorshire MP Roger Williams, Assembly Member Kirsty Williams, Deputy Minister for Social Services, and local councillor Mike Hodges to highlight her situation.

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “We fully understand the concerns expressed over the funding delay, however the council has limited resources and budgets are currently fully committed.

“The poor budget settlement and an increase in service pressures, exacerbated by the economic downturn which has resulted in a greater demand on public funding, means demand is far outstripping available resources.

“We review cases on a regular basis and maintain regular contact with all families concerned, but the service is facing a near £2million shortfall,” he warned.