THESE are some of the stories which made the headlines in the South Wales Guardian in the week ending Thursday, June 2, 1983.

A war of words has broken out in the run-up to the local council elections with each political party sniping at the others' records and policies. Labour's candidate Dr Roger Thomas described Mrs Thatcher as having the compassion of a Brillo pad and claimed that if his party won they would bring compassion back to the weak. He also attacked Mrs Thatcher's Victorian values and scoffed: "All she cares about is money."

The threat of runaway trucks causing a serious accident at Pantyffynnon's level crossing has been brought to the attention of Dinefwr Borough Council. The warning came from Pantyffynnon Rugby Club, who claimed the standard of safety at the crossing was deplorable.

The miners' union has not done enough for those who have left the industry - this is the message a bus-load of ex-miners took with them to Swansea to lobby the South Wales NUM vice-president. The miners handed Terry Thomas a 250-signature petition, calling on the union to help ex-miners access more concessionary coal and review broken services.

A call for the abolition of all TV licences was made last week by the leader of Lliw Valley council. Cllr Garfield Williams told the housing committee the finance should come from central taxation. He said: "The old wireless licence was scrapped with no trouble at all. "The economy could bear the cost. It would cut out a great deal of work and save money not being paid."