THE WIFE of a long-standing Machynlleth doctor has thanked local people for their support after he died.

Dr Thanu Thapa died in August at the age of 84 after practising as a GP in the town for around 30 years.

Dr Thapa’s wife, Ruth Hughes, who is also a doctor, said the couple moved to Machynlleth in 1972 and were welcomed by local residents who quickly became friends as they practised medicine locally.

She said: “It was a lovely area to work. It’s been our home.

“My husband was born in India and when he was growing up his headteacher and deputy headteacher were from Wales, so he thought the UK was Wales.

“When he first came to the UK he was very upset to be sent to Scotland, but he worked his way back down. He was very happy and made some very good friends. Everybody was very welcoming. We’ve had lots of very good colleagues and friends.”

Dr Thapa, who had two children, Lilyma and Gary, and four grandchildren, Freya, Luca, Finlay and Alba Mei, was a former captain of Mach­ynlleth Golf Club after taking up the sport in 1990, and was well known in Machynlleth for his love of cars, gardening and fishing.

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