#brynmill — Public Fediverse posts
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Swansea’s Secret Traitor revealed as real‑life lifesaver who helped woman escape abuse and sex work
Fiona, 62, who was unmasked as the series’ first ever Secret Traitor, worked for Swansea Council as a Local Area Coordinator covering the Brynmill and Uplands area. Her role involved supporting people facing isolation, crisis or vulnerability — and one case in particular has resurfaced following her TV fame.
A chance meeting that changed a life
According to a Swansea Council case study published in 2018, Fiona first met a young woman known as Alice on a bench overlooking the lake at Brynmill Park. The pair had been introduced by a mutual acquaintance who believed Fiona could help.
Alice, then 25, was bright and articulate but struggling with isolation, low confidence and a violent relationship. During one of their regular “talk and walk” meetings in local parks and along the promenade, she disclosed that she had become trapped in sex work.
The council says Fiona spent months getting to know her, helping her identify her strengths and goals, and supporting her to imagine “what a good life looked like”.
A Swansea Council case study said:
“Fiona came into my life when I thought nobody could help me. I felt so ashamed and just didn’t want to go on. I’ll always be grateful for the time she spent with me and thank her from the bottom of my heart.”
Fiona introduced Alice to a Domestic Abuse Support worker, took her to the One Stop Shop in the city centre, and encouraged her to explore voluntary work and education.
By the end of 2018, Alice had left her abusive partner, stopped sex work and enrolled in college. The council says the pair remained in contact.
Fiona’s philosophy: ‘Walk alongside people’
The council’s profile of Fiona paints a picture of a community worker who believed in simple, human connection — often starting with a coffee and a walk.
A Swansea Council case study quoted Fiona saying:
“Sometimes going for a coffee with someone you don’t know — having the warmth and genuine interest from another person — can help you to see options.”
She described her role as “walking alongside people” as they rebuilt confidence, reconnected with their community and worked towards the life they wanted.
Councillor Mark Child, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at the time, called Alice’s story “one of the most moving” examples of the Local Area Coordinator scheme.
Fiona Hughes at the centre of the round‑table discussion as tensions rise during her final episode of The Traitors.
(Image: (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert)From council worker to TV favourite
Fiona’s off‑screen work stands in stark contrast to her on‑screen persona as the red‑cloaked Secret Traitor — a twist that made her one of the most memorable players of the series.
Her dramatic confrontation with fellow Traitor Rachel Duffy and subsequent banishment drew huge attention, with more than seven million viewers watching the episode.
But Fiona has insisted the show was “just a bit of fun” compared with the real‑life challenges she faced supporting vulnerable people across Swansea.
She is now retiring from the council after working full‑time since she was 16, but says she will continue volunteering in the community, including with Swansea’s growing Men’s Sheds network.
Fiona Hughes seated in an armchair inside the Traitors castle, with bookcases and wood‑panelled walls behind her.
(Image: BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)A brush with police over a ‘burner phone’
Fiona also revealed on the BBC’s Uncloaked aftershow that she was once approached by police after innocently asking a shop for a “burner phone” — having been advised to set up a separate mobile for social media after filming.
The Independent reported that officers later approached her to check the request, leaving the studio audience in stitches when she recounted the mix‑up.
‘You can change somebody’s life by reaching out’
Reflecting on Alice’s story, Fiona told national media she was proud of the young woman’s progress but emphasised that the credit belonged to her.
Fiona Hughes said:
“The lady is very settled now. She has children and is an amazing woman. It’s not my story to tell, but it’s important to remember so many people feel very vulnerable and isolated, but you can change somebody’s life by reaching out.”
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Swansea’s Secret Traitor Fiona banished after dramatic round table showdown
Fiona’s explosive confrontation with fellow Traitor Rachel made her one of the series’ most talked‑about players.Traitors icon Paul Gorton says he’d pick Swansea’s Fiona Hughes as Secret Traitor
Former finalist Paul Gorton singled out Fiona as the perfect Secret Traitor long before her dramatic reveal.Swansea’s Fiona Hughes climbs early predictions as The Traitors series 4 gets underway
#AliceCaseStudy #Brynmill #BrynmillPark #domesticAbuse #featured #FionaHughes #LocalAreaCoordinator #MenSSheds #SecretTraitor #sexWork #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #TheTraitors #Uplands
Fiona quickly emerged as a fan favourite as early predictions tipped her for a deep run in the game. -
Brynmill sinkhole finally filled – again – as road reopens this afternoon
Swansea Council confirmed at 3.20pm today (Friday 19 December) that the road is back open following emergency works.
The authority said crews had been “putting the finishing touches” to the repair earlier in the day, after investigations revealed the latest collapse was linked to the earlier fault that has caused repeated disruption in the area.
Final touches underway as crews compact fresh asphalt during Brynmill sinkhole repairs on Brynymor Road.
(Image: Swansea Council)Fresh asphalt marks the latest repair to the Brynmill sinkhole, with cones and caution tape still in place.
(Image: Swansea Council)A spokesperson said the council’s Highways Team will now consider carrying out a geotechnical survey to determine whether further work is needed along the route to prevent more sinkholes from forming.
The reopening comes after a string of closures, diversions and emergency digs that have turned the Brynmill sinkhole into one of Swansea’s most persistent infrastructure sagas.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Brynmill sinkhole saga rumbles on as crews dig deep after second collapse
Engineers were forced back on site after a fresh collapse reopened the long‑running sinkhole drama.Brynymor Road shuts again just hours after councillors’ photo‑op
A newly repaired section of road collapsed the same day councillors posed for reopening photos.Brynymor Road reopens after sinkhole drama
The busy Brynmill route reopened following emergency works — but questions remained over the cause.Sinkhole mystery solved as collapse blamed on old manhole
Investigations pointed to a hidden manhole chamber as the culprit behind the sudden road failure.Council investigates possible mine link to Brynmor Crescent sinkhole
Historic mine workings were examined as a potential factor in the recurring collapses.Brynymor Road sinkhole ‘larger than expected’, says councillor
Councillors warned the damage beneath the surface was more extensive than first thought.Sinkhole forces road closure in Swansea’s Bryn‑y‑Mor Road
#Brynmill #BrynymorCrescent #BrynymorRoad #geotechnicalSurvey #roadClosure #Sinkhole #SwanseaCouncil #Uplands
The first collapse that triggered months of disruption for residents and drivers. -
Brynmill sinkhole saga rumbles on — crews dig deep after second collapse
This morning we revealed how the street had collapsed again, forcing a fresh closure between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Heavy machinery and barriers are now back in place as engineers work to stabilise the site.
From November shock to December drama
The saga began on 22 November, when a sudden collapse forced the closure of Brynymor Road. What at first looked like a small hole quickly grew into a major headache, with councillors warning the damage was larger than expected.
Investigations followed, with engineers probing whether old mine workings beneath the Crescent were to blame. For weeks, the mystery deepened as crews dug into the road surface, trying to uncover the cause.
By mid‑December, the answer finally came: the collapse was traced back to an old manhole chamber hidden beneath the tarmac. With the mystery solved, hopes rose that the road could reopen before Christmas.
On 17 December, councillors gathered for a photo call to mark the reopening, praising the swift repair and celebrating the return of traffic to one of Brynmill’s busiest streets.
Collapse number two
But the celebrations didn’t last long. Within hours, a second sinkhole appeared nearby, plunging the street back into disruption and forcing crews to return with diggers and trucks.
A Swansea Council spokesperson said:
“Our highways maintenance teams are at the site of a second sinkhole on Brynymor Road. We are doing all we can to repair as quickly as possible and reopen the road.”
They added:
“The road is closed between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Brynymor Road between King Edward Road and St Helens Road remains open to motorists who are visiting local businesses in the area. Apologies for any inconvenience this is causing.”
Images from the scene
Photos taken Thursday show crews in high‑vis jackets operating diggers and trucks, excavating the collapsed section and cordoning off the street with barriers. The fresh hole exposes layers of asphalt and soil, as engineers work to stabilise the site.
Digging deep: excavator and highways team tackle the collapsed section of Brynymor Road.
(Image: Swansea Council)Fresh collapse: excavator lifts debris from the newly formed Brynymor Road sinkhole.
(Image: Swansea Council)Excavation in progress: crews dig into the collapsed section of Brynymor Road.
(Image: Swansea Council)Emergency response: highways team works to stabilise Brynymor Road after second sinkhole
(Image: Swansea Council) #Brynmill #BrynymorCrescent #BrynymorRoad #EatonCrescent #KingEdwardRoad #Sinkhole #StHelensRoad #SwanseaCouncil #Uplands #WestburyStreet -
Swansea man jailed after ‘unprovoked’ pub attack
Steven Vonk, 51, from Westbury Street, Brynmill, denied murder but admitted manslaughter to the assault on 25 July, which was accepted by prosecutors on Monday at Swansea Crown Court.
Judge Paul Thomas KC told Vonk he had committed “unprovoked gratuitous thuggery”, and would serve half of his sentence in prison, and the rest on licence.
The court heard how Vonk, who had been drinking all day in The Mill, punched Mr Matthews after he apparently swore at him outside the pub.
William Hughes KC, prosecuting, told the court CCTV captured Mr Matthews raising a thumb at Vonk on the evening of 25 July. The victim was then punched without any reason, the barrister said.
“Mr Matthews immediately fell backwards and hit the ground,” he said.
“He was seemingly knocked out by the force of the blow.”
The court heard Vonk left Mr Matthews unresponsive on the ground and was arrested the following day.
A single unprovoked punch from Steven Vonk (pictured) cruelly ended the life of Timmy Matthews.Mr Matthews sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and continued to deteriorate in intensive care which led to doctors having to explain to his family that his injuries were unsurvivable. Life-maintaining therapies were withdrawn, and Mr Matthews died at lunchtime on July 27.
Serena Matthews, daughter of Timmy said in a written statement read to the court that her world had “changed forever.”
“I’m tormented at the thought of what my dad endured… and how alone and scared he must have felt.
“Dad was a loving character. Our family and everyone in the community is in shock.
“He was my best friend, and I will never get him back.”
In sentencing, Judge Thomas KC said:
“You violently ended the life of a 63-year-old man who had many years of life awaiting him.
“These courts see time after time after time that a single heavy punch can be, and very often, is fatal.”
With a one-third discount for his guilty plea, Vonk was sentenced to three years in prison. He will serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.
[Lead image South Wales Police]
#Brynmill #murder #SouthWalesPolice #SwanseaCrownCourt #theMill