Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

As I have mentioned a number of times before, some of the damnedest things happen in Wales.  The “South Wales Argus,” August 30, 1946:

An amazing story of a strange creature, half-man and half-horse, said to be haunting Blaenavon in the early hours of the morning, has been reported in detail to the police at Blaenavon. 

Mr. William Henry Davies, age 34, a miner at Kays Slope Colliery, who lives at 1 Forge Row, Cwmavon, has made a signed statement describing how he saw the creature running at terrific speed, apparently frightened by the light from his bicycle. 

The statement says that the incident occurred at 4:50 a.m. on Tuesday, while Mr. Davies was cycling home from work. On Cwmavon Road, near the turning to Twynmawr Road, he saw in the half light of dawn and with the aid of the light of his cycle, a creature which appeared to be a man except that it had a head similar to a small horse, and a flowing mane. 

Until Friday, he was reluctant to tell anyone except his wife about the experience, but on Friday morning decided to make a statement to Blaenavon police. 

Mr. Davies said:  “I have not the slightest doubt about what I saw.  I was riding down the hill and was only five yards from the creature when I saw it.  It was running very fast and my attention was drawn by the long hair which flowed over its shoulders.

“It had a small horse's head, just like that of a colt.  It ran up a side street, apparently to avoid me, and as I pulled up I heard a neigh.  It was not loud, but it was unmistakable.” 

Mr. Davies added that the creature appeared to be wearing a blue suit. When he went home he told his wife, but was afraid to tell his workmates at the colliery because he knew they would laugh at him and he was afraid of earning a nickname which might stick to him all his life. After thinking the matter over, however, he decided it ought to be reported to someone in authority. 

Blaenavon police told a “South Wales Argus” reporter that Mr. Davies had signed the statement, but as yet there is nothing further to be said. The matter is being dealt with in the ordinary way and routine inquiries will be made.

When interviewed by a reporter, Mr. Davies said there was no question of him having been drinking because he was a teetotaler.  In any case he was on his way home from work at the time.  He was satisfied in his own mind about what he saw and described the apparition faithfully in his statement to the police.