Sculpture of Welsh icon Max Boyce to be unveiled following 80th birthday

A statue of iconic Welsh entertainer Max Boyce is to be unveiled in Glynneath just days after the star's 80th birthday.

The popular entertainer turned 80 on Wednesday, just a few days before a bronze statue of him is unveiled in his hometown on Saturday, 30 September.

Boyce has sold more than two million albums in his career, dating back to the 1970s.

With his passion for song and rugby, Boyce rose to fame after he began writing tunes about life in Welsh mining communities.

He started out performing in local sports and folk clubs before Cambrian Records released an LP called 'Max Boyce in Session'.

The LP included one of Boyce's most popular songs, 'Hymns and Arias', along with the prediction on the record sleeve that 'it may well be that future years will find "Hymns and Arias" rolling a thunderous chorus across the terraced rugby grounds.'

In 1975, his album We All Had Doctors' Papers reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.

As well as his songs, Boyce, who is a Welsh speaker, performed 'Sosban Fach' and 'Ar Lan Y Mor' on the album.

He received the Freedom of the Borough of Neath Talbot in 2014 for his charity work and lifelong commitment to his community.

The statue has been created by local artist Rubin Eynon and will face Abernant Park, which is home of Glynneath RFC.

First Minister Mark Drakeford and the Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, Louise Fleet, will unveil the statue.

Road closures will be in place between 11am and 3pm on the day of the event.

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