#JamesHowells , a computer engineer from Newport, has lost his legal battle to search a landfill for a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins-now worth an estimated £620 million. Howells claimed his ex-girlfriend mistakenly threw away the drive in 2013 and attempted to sue the city council for access to the site or £495 million in compensation. However, a judge dismissed his case.

Newport City Council has declined further comment but confirmed plans to close the landfill in the 2025-26 financial year. The site, located on Docks Way, is set to be repurposed into a solar farm intended to power the council's new fleet of bin lorries.