The Free Press is challenging the people of Torfaen to bring the characters and stories of Wales' dynamic industrial era back to life.

Building legends around interesting characters from an era when Wales led the world could hold the key to economic and community revival according to HERIAN (Heritage in Action), a partnership of councils, voluntary groups and public organisations.

HERIAN is asking local people to contact the Free Press with information about interesting characters from the industrial era, so they can be turned into colourful legends that will raise the county's profile and give it a major economic boost.

The call is part of a groundbreaking initiative by HERIAN to give communities the expertise to delve into their own past. Working with Groundwork Trust and The Community First Support Network, HERIAN has produced an innovative and user-friendly "toolkit" to help residents to become "history detectives."

Last week a meeting was held at Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenavon to give people the opportunity to feed into plans for developing heritage locally. Jeff Pride, Director of HERIAN said: "The 150 years leading up to the First World War was an era of heroes, heroines and villains, whose exploits are an important part of the big and very colourful picture of industrial South Wales at its most powerful.

"For instance the story of John Frost, leader of the 1839 Chartist uprising in Newport, is well known. But how many people know that William Jones, who was arrested along with Frost and found guilty of treason, was from Pontypool? Also, it's a little-known fact that Sir Isaac Hayward, who was Leader of London County Council for 20 years after the Second World War, started his working life as a collier's boy at Big Pit when he was 12 years of age."

Can you help with our appeal? Have any stories of good or bad characters been passed down to you? If so, please contact the Free Press at Portland Buildings, Commercial Street, Pontypool NP4 6JS or on 01495 769703.