Gwent Police arrest four on suspicion of murder following cyclist's death

Four people have been arrested by Gwent Police on suspicion of murder following the death of a 63-year-old cyclist in Pontypool from head injuries sustained early yesterday morning.

Information currently made available by the police is vague, and they say they are still looking to establish the chain of events leading up to the fatality.

However, with the arrests made on suspicion of murder, that suggests that some significant information may have come to their attention.

The suspects arrested are three men, aged 18, 19 and 23, plus a 19-year-old woman, all of them from the Pontypool area.

It has not been stated whether a motor vehicle was involved in the incident.

Police were alerted to it when the cyclist was discovered face-down, close to his bicycle, on the A4043 near George Street at 6am yesterday morning.

According to local newspaper The Free Press, the cyclist has been unofficially identified as racehorse trainer John Reeder from Pontnewynydd.

Originally from Yorkshire, he is said to have been a popular figure locally, and could often by seen on his bike or with his horses, as well as in local pubs.

The newspaper adds that motorists rushed to help the stricken cyclist and that he was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, but died there of serious head injuries.

An employee from a local business, Brickfabrication, told The Free Press: "A couple of people had stopped to tend to him. He was about 10 yards from his bike, face down and looked in a bad way."

According to the newspaper, roads within a one-mile radius were cordoned off for up to 12 hours while 20 police officers and forensic staff conducted their investigations.

Gwent Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them on 101 and quote number 73 7/8/13

We will update this story with more information once it becomes available.