Morgan feeling '10 years younger'

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First Minister Rhodri Morgan says he will carry on with his job as normal after undergoing treatment for a heart scare during the summer.

He told BBC Wales he was feeling "10 years younger" after a procedure to open two partially-blocked arteries.

Mr Morgan, 67, was admitted to hospital on 8 July with severe chest pain.

His illness came days after Labour and Plaid Cymru agreed a coalition, sought by Labour after failing to win a majority in May's assembly election.

Mr Morgan said that he has no intention of bringing forward his planned retirement in around two years' time following his health scare during the summer.

He denied claims that he had told close friends that he would stand down "before too long".

He said: "I have not told anybody that I'm going to stand down before too long.

Mr Morgan say he plans to eat sensibly and take exercise

"If I had said that, I might have said that the day after I had the heart attack or the evening of it or whatever but not since then. At all. Absolutely not."

Mr Morgan said it had even crossed his mind that perhaps he might stay in the first minister's post longer, but had dismissed that idea as wanted to enjoy his eventual retirement and family life "and all the other things in a fully energetic state".

He added: "Looking back now I can see that what I interpreted as old age creeping up on you was much more than that.

"It was a restricted blood flow and I just assumed it was a hard job [and] I shouldn't expect to be leaping round like a spring chicken but there was more than that going on.

"I have been given a chance. I am very, very lucky, and I want to stay lucky and make sure that I really have good health for the rest of my life and the energy levels that I've got now."

He said with a "sensible diet and plenty of exercise" he should be "as fit as a flea".