A MAN has pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of a much-loved grandmother and her granddaughter by careless driving in a horror crash.

Rhys Miles, 23, admitted being responsible for killing 79-year-old Denise Hughes and Justine Hughes, aged 30, following a collision in Caerphilly last summer.

The victims died after the two-vehicle crash near a quarry on Fochriw Road, Fochriw on the morning of Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

Miles, of Hospital Road, Penpedairheol, Caerphilly entered his guilty pleas at Newport Magistrates' Court.

He was granted unconditional bail ahead of his sentence which is due to take place at the crown court on July 6.

The defendant’s white Ford Ranger crashed into the blue Citroen C3 that the victims were travelling in at around 10.15am.

The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed that the two women had died at the scene.

Miles was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The road was closed for more than 12 hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.

After their deaths, their family issued moving tributes to both women.

They said: “Denise was tragically taken from us. A lovely wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who was adored by all.

“She loved and was loved, always willing to help anyone where she could. We all looked at her as the head of the family.

“Words cannot express the pain we feel but thanks to the support of family and friends it is made more bearable.

“To say she will be missed would be an understatement."

They continued: "Justine, such a young, happy woman that sadly had her young life cut tragically short.

“A life that promised so much but ended in tragedy. A loving mother, sister, daughter, granddaughter, and niece who gave as much love as she received.

“A mother to Megan and Rowan, they will grow up knowing how kind, happy and loving their mother was.

“They will never be allowed to forget.

“We would like to say thank you to all those at the open cast quarry that helped and were so kind, the members of the public that stopped and tried to help and to all the emergency services for their assistance.”