Then over the next few days, miners were coming home to my village, Dowlais, in tears - I'd never seen such a sight.

BBC: 1966: Aberfan - a generation wiped out

"To know we couldn't go back to see my family, my village -- it was horrible, horrible, " said Siren, who is now able to travel home once or twice a year.

CNN: May 24, 2012 -- Updated 1300 GMT (2100 HKT)