Pop star H from Steps on his love for south Wales valleys roots

The singer said he recognised many of the landscapes in photographs or paintings as he had painted them himself.

The depictions of men, both at work and play, made him think of his grandfather.

“He was a miner – I’ve actually got his miner’s lamp in my house,” he said.

“He used to tell me amazing stories: he was one of 13 children and they used to top and tail in beds, their mother would make all of their sandwiches in tin boxes to go down the mines, they’d give her part of their pay packet, they’d all get scrubbed in a tin bath in the front room and they had constant ‘eyeliner’ on because of the coal dust.

“People made do with what they had and made the best of it.”

From the stunning green landscapes to the black soot of industry, Watkins said he was happy to see the valleys represented in all their glory.

“I think people have a perception of the valleys being quite grey and dark and insular – and there is a lot of that depicted in these paintings but there’s also joy, happiness and vibrancy too,” he said.

“There’s so much heart and warmth. As the song says – ‘we’ll keep a welcome in the hillside’, and it’s so true.”