Two elderly Gwynedd men’s battle to maintain their independence is to feature in a new TV documentary.

With more than three million people over the age of 75 living alone in the UK, a compelling documentary follows three older people over a year as they battle to preserve their independence.

In the first in the new series of the human-interest documentary series Drych on S4C, the cameras follow three highly independent people in north Wales determined to live in their own homes as long as it was practically possible.

The programme entitled Drych: Dal i Fynd, to be aired on Sunday, 14 April, offers a tender portrayal of the three gentlemen and their families as they try to tackle the difficult challenges faced by many people as they grow older.

Gruffydd Edwards, aged 87, of Dolgellau, Gwynedd has been a hill farmer all his life, living and working on the family farm Ty Cerrig.

Until recently, he was able to do everything around the farm, but because of heart problems, his youngest daughter Carys, of Llanelltyd, has stepped in more and more to help.

“My age was no trouble for me until recently, but it hit me suddenly just like that,” said Gruffydd, who lost his wife, brother and sister all in a period of 12 months in 2016.

His daughter Carys couldn’t envisage seeing him ever leaving the family farm “as is heart is in this land”, but the next months would test his resolve to stay there.

Hywel Francis Richards, aged 92, has lived in the centre of the seaside town of Criccieth since selling the family farm.

Widower Hywel had always lived independently and enjoyed a busy social life until his health problems caught up with him two years ago.

At the start of the year, he was still driving although he was having memory lapses and his daughter Lowri was questioning whether he was still fit to drive.

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online on Thursday