Spell of trouble as row erupts over road signs error

Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain was the subject of a long-running row over the spelling of the village name.

The village had its 't' removed in 2008 because Powys County Council believed it was spelt incorrectly.

It had argued the original spelling was a mistake made in the mid-1800s when 'Llansantffraid', which took its name from the female Celtic Saint Brigit, wrongly described her as a man.

The council had said that dropping the 't' correctly identified her as a woman, but after much unhappiness, and a public vote, the 't' was restored in 2014.

However, as five fresh signs were put up in the village to mark the introduction of Wales' new 20mph speed limits, which came in on Sunday, they have unfortunately come with the erroneous addition of an unwanted extra 'd' – mistakenly naming the village Llansantffraidd.

Powys County Council has confirmed that the mistake was down to 'human error' and said it would be replacing the signs in the near future.

It added that the spelling would be temporarily amended until the fresh signs are in place.

Local resident Douglas Williams described the mistake as ridiculous and frustrating.

Mr Williams said: "It is absolutely ludicrous, they have had all this time to put the matter right and they have issued new signs which they promised the whole village they would do, and they have done the spelling wrong."

He added: "How on earth someone has got that wrong I will never know. It costs a lot of money to make these signs too and there are five of them."

Mr Williams, who is 74 and has lived in the village nearly his entire life, said it was frustrating after lobbying to get fresh signs for the village.

He said: "It is embarrassing. Some residents probably don't care but I have lived here all my life and to have something like that advertised on the main five entrances to the village, it is ridiculous."