WALES' outgoing first minister Mark Drakeford said he hopes residents in North Wales will feel they have been "at the heart of a journey" when he steps down from his role. 

Mr Drakeford, revealed in an interview with coastal chief reporter Suzanne Kendrick, that he is "deeply attached" to North Wales and will continue to visit the area even when he is no longer first minister. 

Asked about his legacy and how he hoped people in this part of Wales will remember him, he said: "I don't think of legacy much to be honest, it is not why I do the job.

"I'm deeply attached to North Wales. One of my sons lives here with his family and I am here very regularly.

"I hope people will feel that North Wales has been right at the heart of a journey we have been on as a nation through some very very difficult years.

"There were challenges of leaving the European Union, facing a global pandemic, a recession, a cost-of-living crisis.

"These have been really tough times for everybody and North Wales has been there right at the heart of a way in which the Welsh Government has tried help the nation through those difficult times."

Mr Drakeford said he travels between North Wales and Cardiff "a lot".

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"I have got a three-year-old granddaughter growing up," he said.

"It gives you a real stake in the a place when you see a child growing up and I'm looking forward that I will have more time to spend time with her and the others members of my own family in the future."

Mr Drakeford was interviewed at Coleg Llandrillo’s campus in Rhyl; the first minister officially open the Engineering Centre.

He will stand down as Welsh Labour leader in March 2024.

He gave his last St David's Day message on March 1 where he revealed the Welsh Government had launched ‘Wales in India’, to strengthen ties and opportunities between the two countries.

As part of 'Wales in India', there will be a series of events celebrating the links between the two countries across art and culture, education, health, business and human rights.