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At Beddau RFC a community is in mourning. The last six months have been filled with tragedy and loss.

Since January, the club has suffered the deaths of seven familiar faces, friendly figures, players, stalwarts, talismen.

Seven men with strong ties to the team, between the ages of 21 and 69 have died in six months.

The Championship side has lost Tom Owen, Edward Hallett, Lee Caddy, Mike Phillips, Scott Barnes, Jeff Sutton and Daniel Palk.

Figures at the club say is has been “tough” but that the Rhondda Cynon Taf community has pulled together and shown its strength.

Various fundraising events have been organised, including a special memorial match and an annual popular sponsored bike ride - the brainchild of Lee Caddy himself.

Brett Taylor and Gareth Jenkins from the Beddau club said: “It’s been so tough. Everyone in our community is missing these really lovely people so much.

(Image: Rob Browne)

“But what has happened since really shows the strength of the community and how the club and the village has pulled together.

“We want to thank so many people for all they have done to help since, but there are too many names to mention.

“We really want to move on from this now.”

Tom Owen

(Image: South Wales Police)

It began in January, when Tom Owen, 21, from Efail Isaf near Pontypridd , was electrocuted and died while working for Western Power Distribution.

“Tom played all his rugby up here from under 8s up until senior level,” Brett and Gareth said.

He represented first and second team. He was loved by all and well respected throughout the club.

“Tom is one of us, one of our own, who was Green and Gold to the core and taken from us too early.”

At the time, a statement from Tom’s family said they were devastated by the tragic death.

“He is our world. We are incredibly proud of the young man that he had become and can’t imagine life without him,” they said.

Scott Barnes

Then, in February, Beddau RFC vice president and club stalwart Scott Barnes passed away aged 40.

Brett and Gareth said: “Like Tom, Scott played at all mini and junior levels for us.

“Then he went across the water to Jersey, but wherever he went, he was very successful and highly thought of.”

Scott was a prison officer. The pair added: “He was vice president of Beddau for all his life, and would always pay his membership even when he wasn’t here, and he never missed a home international.”

Edward Hallett

Edward, 41, also died in February, a man the pair said was a “really nice guy” who is “sorely missed”.

He played for each one of the club’s mini and junior sides as a youth.

In April, another two deaths followed. Club legend Lee Caddy and “talisman” Mike Phillips.

Lee Caddy

Brett and Gareth described Lee, who was also 41, as being “part of the Beddau RFC furniture”.

They explained: “He had a wicked sense of humour and was always laughing and joking - he was the joker of the club and didn’t miss many games at all.”

It was Mr Caddy, a builder by trade, who started the Beddau RFC annual bike ride, which this year is running in his own memory, from Porthcawl to Beddau.

It will be the 14th year of the ride, and is expected to be the “biggest yet”.

To date, the ride has raised over £80,000 for good causes including Giving to Pink and Velindre.

“The size of the funeral was the biggest the venue had ever seen,” the pair said.

(Image: Tom Houghton)

“There were close to 2,000 people there. It was testament to how popular he was.

“He was a real club man and even when not doing his bike ride, he was helping others.”

They added: “A happy, happy character - witty, and played hell with everybody and always joking.

“During matches, he even had his own corner on the pitch - Caddy’s corner, which was his place to stand.

“When standing there, he was often heard being very vocal towards players both on his own side and the opposition, and advising the ref about the offside rule!

“He is greatly missed and has done so much for us.”

Mike Phillips

They described Mike, who was 69 when he died, as a “true club talisman”.

“He was fantastic for us and would do anything you asked of him, from odd jobs around the ground to the kit.

“He didn’t ever miss a game home or away in all the years he helped us out and wouldn’t miss a training session whatever the weather either.

“He will be deeply missed by many in the rugby community. He was an all-round good clubman. Both sons played for the club, and his grandson.

“A memory of Mike is that he always had deep pockets of sweets - and always had mints for the boys in training.”

May and June then saw the deaths of Jeff and Daniel.

Jeff Sutton

Jeff, 28, worked in the construction industry.

“He was a fine young man, and a hugely well-respected guy at the club who also played for all of the mini and junior teams and will be greatly missed by us all.”

Daniel Palk

The club announced the seventh shock in just six months earlier in June, when electrician Daniel, 32, died.

The pair said: “He played every minute all the way through his career here.

“He would do favours for everybody and was always having banter with the lads.”

Daniel’s career saw him play in what they described as “one of the best first teams we have ever had”, which won Division One in 2007 - the highest Beddau has ever been, and a team in which he was one of the star players.

That was also the year the club was controversially denied promotion to the Premiership due to their ground not meeting the Premiership's criteria, which they eventually took legal action over.

Known as Palky, Daniel was also one of the only players to win three mid district finals - youth, first and seconds - in the same season.

“He was a highly regarded centre, and could have gone on further from the club. He was involved right up until his death.

“His passing leaves another big hole in the community and one that we will struggle to fill.”

What the club has done since

Following a tragic five months, the club has lined up a host of charity events to celebrate the lives of the seven men, including the upcoming Palk-Hole Memorial Cup on August 5, in which they will face up against a Pontyclun XV to remember Daniel and Luke Hole, who died while taking part in a beach rugby tournament in Majorca.

As well as that, the 17th Beddau RFC Annual Bike Ride will take place on July 15.

A charity match between the rugby mums of Beddau RFC and Llantwit Fardre RFC raised money in their names , as did a club trip to see Robbie Williams in Cardiff.

“These people have all gone the extra mile for the club and the news really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Brett and Gareth said.

“All of this news has been unbelievable.

“It’s a community club. Everybody in the community supports the rugby and the rugby club, and it’s amazing how they have really, really pulled together from this nightmare.”

For more information about the club’s fundraising efforts, visit their Facebook page here :