Leighton arrived at ABGS in 1957 from the National School in Cardiff St, and was put in Form 1A. He was very keen on the school scouts, and has subsequently contributed various items about the 9th Aberdare (Grammar School) troop to this site.

In his last year at school he had a daily commute of around 24 miles, as his father, previously a police sergeant at Aberdare, was relocated to Pontypridd. In the sixth form, he took Maths, Physics and Chemistry and in 1964 he went to U.C. Swansea and studied for a degree in Chemistry. He entered the Forensic Science Service after graduating, serving in the Cardiff and Birmingham Laboratories. He eventually retired, after 42+ years, in 2010 and is now of course as busy as ever. He is very involved in The Knowle Society, his local civic society, attempts to play badminton, jointly runs a very successful walking club and is a Freemason.

He is a keen gardener with a large garden and an allotment which he doesn’t really need !

Leighton lives near Birmingham with his wife Jen. They have two boys, Christopher and Gareth. Christopher and his wife, Sorrel, have two sons, Gethin and Iestyn, and live near Abergavenny. Their younger son, Gareth is married and lives in Manchester.