A VALLEYS community has a new focal point after getting its first caf for seven years.

Former miner Neil Matthews opened the new caf and takeaway in Oakdale's village square on Wednesday.

Neilo's Diner was officially opened by Penmaen councillors Allan Pritchard and John Evans.

Councillor Pritchard said: "It's been many a long year since we had a caf in Oakdale so there's been no focal point. "This will be a meeting point for villagers."

Mr Matthews, who is 41 and lives in Central Avenue, Oakdale, worked in the mines for ten years, following his father and grandfather to work in Oakdale Colliery after leaving school at 16.

He was there for a decade until the mine closed in 1989. Following that, he went to work on building sites before starting a catering career.

He bought a catering trailer and worked on markets for two years and most recently had a trailer on the Pen-y-Fan Industrial Estate in Croespenmaen.

Now he has achieved his dream of opening his own caf. He will be doing the cooking himself and will be open from 8am to 5pm. "I have hired one local girl and my father, who is retired, and my sister are also going to help out," said Mr Matthews.

He bought the caf last year but suffered a number of setbacks and had to deal with the death of his mother Margaret. "But now I'm finally open and loving it - it certainly beats working down the pits," he said.