GWENT villagers are in shock after a well-loved "local character" died following a car crash - and local people are praying for his seriously injured wife who was today fighting for her life.

Flowers have been laid at the spot on the A467 near Llanhilleth where the accident took place on Tuesday morning.

Retired builder Stanley Howell James, 85, died in hospital shortly afterwards.

His 82-year-old wife, named locally as Evelyn, was in intensive care today. The couple are well known to people in their home village of Llanhilleth and neighbouring Swffryd, where they ran an ironmonger's shop for many years.

Lyn Maloney, chairman of the Llanhilleth Tenants and Residents Association, said: "It's a very sad time for everybody here.

"Stanley was one of the village's characters. He was well known and a very well-liked and respected man.

He has lived here with his family for many years and he was just a lovely man. I grew up with his son, Alan, and I know he is devastated. "Our love goes out to all the family at this terrible time and our prayers are with them for Evelyn."

Blaenau Gwent councillor Dennis Hughes, who represents the Llanhilleth ward, said the village is in a state of shock and grief.

"People here are very sad about the whole affair," he said. "They were a well-liked couple.

"A lot of their neighbours have gone to the accident scene to lay flowers." The collision between Mr James' Metro and a Rover 218 happened at 10.45am on Tuesday at the junction of the Glandwr industrial estate. Police closed the A467 until 3.15pm, causing long tailbacks.

It is not yet known whether speed was a factor, and police investigations continue.