The hero dinner lady who died shielding five children in the Aberfan disaster
Five children were found alive under the body of Nansi Williams following the disaster
ByHuw ThomasBBC Wales correspondent and Tony BrownBBC Wales
An Aberfan disaster survivor who was saved by a dinner lady has spoken publicly for the first time about his hero.
Paul Harries, who was six, was one of five children found alive under the body of Nansi Williams.
It was on 21 October 1966 that a coal tip above the village of Aberfan collapsed, engulfing Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes.
Within moments, 144 people were dead, including 116 children, on what was the last day of school before the half-term holiday.
As the 60th anniversary of the disaster approaches, Nansi Williams will be honoured with a purple plaque, external to commemorate her courage.
The King, Queen and Prince of Wales will be in the village next week to mark the anniversary, following on from the late Queen Elizabeth who visited Aberfan eight times.
"If it hadn't been for Nansi Williams, then instead of 116 children dying that morning it would have been 121," Harries said.
"It would have been us. One hundred percent."
Now 66, he has never previously spoken to the media about his experiences.
Paul Harries was giving his dinner money to Nansi Williams when the school was engulfed
"The only reason I'm speaking about it now is because Nansi's story needs to be told and recognised for what she has done," he said.
A purple plaque will be unveiled in the village, which is in Merthyr Tydfil county, later this month.
Harries recalled how an avalanche of slurry swept through the school just minutes after lessons began.
He had walked from the infant school to the junior school hall to pay a shilling for his school dinner.
It was there that Nansi was collecting the money from him and four other children.
When a colliery waste tip collapsed, slurry crashed into Pantglas Junior School, killing 116 children and 28 adults
"The infant school was totally missed by the tips," he added.
"So it was only by chance that we were not in the infant school, which was safe. We were in the junior school which caught the brunt of it."
Harries cannot remember the moment the building collapsed, but said: "I can remember being dug out.
"I was rushed straight to hospital with the other four children that were buried with me."
Only later did he learn of Nansi's heroics.
"My mother and father told me the story," he recalled.
"They said 'your dinner lady died protecting you five children'."
When rescuers found them, Nansi was still shielding the group.
"Apparently she was holding as much of us as she could, and trying to get us under a table," he said.
"She gave everything to give us a future, and she lost everything.
"Nansi Williams was a hero. A true hero. My hero."
Nansi Williams grew up in Aberfan and worked as a dinner lady and playground supervisor at Pantglas Junior School
Nansi, who was 44, was a familiar figure to that generation of Aberfan children.
Another pupil, Janett Bickley, remembers her as a kind and popular presence.
"Oh, Nansi was lovely," she said.
"My mother and Nansi were friends.
"If you were lucky you could hold her hand in the yard at break time."
She recalled proudly walking around the playground thinking "I'm holding Nansi's hand today".
Like many pupils, Bickley remembered Nansi collecting dinner money and leading children to lunch.
Janett Bickley recalled how all the children were very fond of Nansi
"She was trying to protect children," she said.
"She died, and they lived."
Bickley believes there are many people who should be recognised for their courage on that day, but agreed Nansi was a hero.
"I think Nansi went way, way beyond what she needed to do," she said.
"She could have saved her own life. She cared more for the children."
Nansi's godson, Dai Powell, campaigned for greater recognition and said stories of what happened were passed down through his family for decades.
"My ultimate hero. No-one will ever touch her," he said.
"We'd all like to think we'd do the same thing, but until it happens we don't really know.
"Her heroism is just unbelievable."
Dai Powell has led the campaign for Nansi's courage to be honoured with a purple plaque
The purple plaque scheme, external celebrates women who have made important contributions to their communities in Wales or shown exceptional courage.
"She didn't think of herself at all, she just thought of the children," said Rhian Connick, secretary of the Purple Plaque Committee.
The plaque will be placed near the cemetery in Aberfan
For Harries, the plaque will ensure her story survives long after those who remember her are gone.
"Every year I go straight to Nansi's grave and put flowers there," he said.
"My family know the story of Nansi because if it hadn't been for her, they wouldn't be here today.
"There would be no son, no grandchildren.
"It's something permanent now.
"People can look at it and read it, and find out about her story."