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The Welsh government offered to compulsory purchase the house, in the Cefn Coed area of Merthyr, but John said he declined because of sentimental reasons.

In March, the visitor centres at Coed y Brenin, near Dolgellau, and Ynyslas, between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth, as well as Bwlch Nant yr Arian, near Aberystwyth, were closed by NRW to save money.

The special habitat's twisted branches, dappled light and moss-covered understorey once covered much of the country, but is now only found in isolated areas including the Woodland Trust's Coed Felenrhyd near Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd.

She said at least six ancient trees, described as "grandmothers" of the forest, were lost in Coed Felenrhyd.

Storms are just one of the threats to ancient woodlands such as Coed Felenrhyd which, according to the State of Wales Rainforest report, cover just 4.3% of country's rainforest landscape.