IT IS QUITE rare for the death of a politician to elicit tributes as warm and as heartfelt as those seen in the wake of the death of Rhodri Morgan.

But then in the view of so many, he was quite a rare breed of politician.

From the moment the news broke on Wednesday evening that the 77-year-old had died, social media was awash with tributes from people just wanting to share their stories of the time they met Rhodri Morgan.

And the messages came pouring into the Argus yesterday morning from right across the political spectrum and from people from all walks of life, who had met him, however briefly, through what was a long and successful political career.

One theme ran through them all and that was a sense of genuine sadness at the passing of a man who managed to combine real political steel with a very human touch.

The father of three was as happy chatting with a constituent about sport as he was about some obscure detail buried in some economic policy. or other.

Famous for his witty one-liners he was also known for his formidable intellect and there is no doubt that he has left his mark on Wales.

We send our condolences to his family and friends.