Journalist and columnist with the Western Mail, he gained a degree in English from Aberystwyth University. He spent a brief period teaching the subject at a Cardiff secondary school before joining The Western Mail as a trainee, he has done every journalistic job on the newspaper, apart from sub-editing and designing. He was the literary editor for four years.

He has also presented programmes on BBC Wales, BBC Radio Wales and Radio 5. He writes and broadcasts on a wide range of subjects. Mario had an article entitled ’Lime, Lemon and Internment’ published in The New Welsh Review, 1992, pp58—60.

Real Merthyr (Seren, 2008)

Contributed to:Homeland (contributor) (Gomer, 1996)The Century Collection, An Anthology of Best Writing in the Western Mail through the 20th Century (contributor) (Breedon Books, 1999)All Roads Lead to Merthyr (contributor) (Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, 2006)