Among the poignant objects recovered from the scene in Aberfan was a Welsh language Bible that belonged to Cliff and Anne Bunford.
The couple lived in Cardiff, but owned a house in Moy Road in Aberfan which was rented out to a young family.
When the disaster happened, the Bunfords drove to the village and witnessed the devastation.
Police allowed Cliff through the cordon, where he found the house had been swept away by slurry.
“When he came back to the car, he was in tears,” Anne, 92, said, adding he urged her to go down and see it for herself.
“I saw destruction everywhere.
“The house wasn’t there, it was just bits of bricks and a chimney.”
The young mother and baby who lived there had been killed.
“[Cliff] said to me ‘the husband’s gone to work and when he comes back there’s nothing’,” she said.