The hero dinner lady who died saving five children in the Aberfan disaster

On 21 October 1966, as a primary school and surrounding homes in Aberfan were engulfed by slurry from a collapsed coal tip, a dinner lady was collecting money from pupils.

Within moments, 144 people were dead, including 116 children, on what was the last day of class at Pantglas Junior School before the half-term holiday.

But five children were saved that day by the heroic actions of Nansi Williams, who died shielding the group.

"Apparently she was holding as much of us as she could, and trying to get us under a table," said Aberfan survivor Paul Harries, who has spoken to the media for the first time.

Harries, who was aged six at the time, was one of the five who was found alive under Williams' body.

"She gave everything to give us a future, and she lost everything," he said.

"Nansi Williams was a hero. A true hero. My hero."

He continued: "If it hadn't been for Nansi Williams, then instead of 116 children dying that morning it would have been 121.

"It would have been us, 100%."

As the 60th anniversary of the disaster approaches, Williams will be honoured with a purple plaque to commemorate her courage.

The King, Queen and Prince of Wales will visit Aberfan, in Merthyr Tydfil county, next week to mark the anniversary, following on from the late Queen Elizabeth who visited Aberfan eight times.

"The only reason I'm speaking about it now is because Nansi's story needs to be told and recognised for what she has done," Paul, now 66, said.

He recalled how an avalanche of slurry swept through the school just minutes after lessons began.

He had walked from the infant school to the junior school hall to pay a shilling for his school dinner.

It was there Williams was collecting the money from him and four other children.

"The infant school was totally missed by the tips," he added.

"So it was only by chance that we were not in the infant school, which was safe. We were in the junior school which caught the brunt of it."

Harries cannot remember the moment the building collapsed, but said: "I can remember being dug out.

"I was rushed straight to hospital with the other four children that were buried with me."

It was only later that he learnt of Nansi's heroics.

"My mother and father told me the story," he said. "They said 'your dinner lady died protecting you five children'."

When rescuers found them, Williams was still shielding the group.

Williams, who was 44, was a familiar figure to that generation of Aberfan children.

Another pupil, Janett Bickley, remembers her as a kind and popular presence.

"Oh, Nansi was lovely," she said.

"My mother and Nansi were friends.

"If you were lucky you could hold her hand in the yard at break time."

She recalled proudly walking around the playground thinking "I'm holding Nansi's hand today".

Like many pupils, Bickley remembered Williams collecting dinner money and leading children to lunch.

"She was trying to protect children," she said.

"She died, and they lived."

Bickley believes there are many people who should be recognised for their courage on that day, but agreed Williams was a hero.

"I think Nansi went way, way beyond what she needed to do," she said.

"She could have saved her own life. She cared more for the children."

Nansi's godson, Dai Powell, campaigned for greater recognition and said stories of what happened were passed down through his family for decades.

"My ultimate hero. No-one will ever touch her," he said.

"We'd all like to think we'd do the same thing, but until it happens we don't really know.

"Her heroism is just unbelievable."

The purple plaque scheme celebrates women who have made important contributions to their communities in Wales or shown exceptional courage.

"She didn't think of herself at all, she just thought of the children," said Rhian Connick, secretary of the Purple Plaque Committee.

For Harries, the plaque will ensure her story survives long after those who remember her are gone.

"Every year I go straight to Nansi's grave and put flowers there," he said.

"My family know the story of Nansi because if it hadn't been for her, they wouldn't be here today.

"There would be no son, no grandchildren.

"It's something permanent now.

"People can look at it and read it, and find out about her story."