FRIDAY august 14th 2026 • ISSUE 676 • ONLY £1.50
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‘I’M HARDLY EVER CAUGHT’
Pembrokeshire serial shoplifter claims 19 out of 20 thefts go undetected • p13
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Major search launched after car found submerged in Cosheston Pill
RNLI crews searched miles of shoreline amid concern that somebody may have been ejected through the vehicle’s smashed windows A MAJOR multi-agency search was launched on Tuesday evening (Aug 11) after a car was discovered almost completely submerged in Cosheston Pill, near Pembroke Dock. Angle RNLI was tasked at 5:19pm to assist Dyfed-Powys Police, alongside Dale, St Govan’s and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Teams, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Milford Haven Harbour Patrol. It was initially unclear whether anybody remained inside the vehicle, prompting Angle’s all-weather lifeboat to launch shortly afterwards and make its way to Cosheston Pill. When the crew arrived, the car was almost entirely beneath the water, with only its roof remaining visible. The lifeboat’s inflatable Y boat was deployed to reach the vehicle. Crew members used tools in an attempt to break its windows and establish whether anybody was trapped inside. The vehicle was searched as thoroughly as conditions allowed, but nobody was found. However, its front windows were already smashed when rescuers arrived, raising concern that an occupant could have been ejected into the water. The Y boat subsequently carried out a detailed search of the shoreline throughout Cosheston Pill. Angle’s all-weather lifeboat conducted a wider shoreline search from the entrance of the pill towards Mill Bay in the east and the Cleddau Bridge in the west, covering both banks of the waterway. Firefighters wearing specialist waterrescue equipment were also seen operating from the roadside, with the fire service’s own inflatable rescue boat brought to the scene. Police officers helped manage the operation as emergency vehicles lined the road in the Kingswood area. After the initial search found nothing,
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the Y boat returned to the submerged vehicle as the tide began to ebb. The all-weather lifeboat remained at the entrance to Cosheston Pill to monitor anything which might be carried out by the falling tide. The RNLI search was completed without anybody being found, and the crew was stood down at 7:30pm. The lifeboat returned to its berth and was ready for further service by 7:50pm. Dyfed-Powys Police were left to continue enquiries into how the vehicle entered the water and whether anybody had been inside.
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Drill night turns into cross-Wales wildfire deployment Telephone: 01646 45 45 45 Fax: 01646 45 46 47 Email: editor@pembrokeshire-herald.com To advertise: sales@herald.email Facebook: thepembrokeshireherald Twitter: pembsherald Website: www.pembrokeshire-herald.com
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A ROUTINE drill night became a major cross-Wales operation for Milford Haven’s on-call firefighters as crews were called more than 100 miles from home to help tackle a moorland wildfire. A Milford Haven fire appliance, identified as 32P2, was initially sent east to provide standby cover at
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Swansea Central Fire Station. It was then mobilised to the continuing wildfire at Llangynidr Reservoir near Ebbw Vale, where firefighters have been working since Friday (Aug 7).
The blaze was previously declared a major incident because of the scale of the response required, with crews from Mid and West Wales and South Wales fire and rescue services working together. A specialist firefighting helicopter was also deployed before the incident was brought under control. Milford Haven’s water bowser, 32W1, was meanwhile strategically moved to Carmarthen to support operations across the Mid and West Wales service area. The Milford Haven crew said: “Special mention to our fire control, all crews, partner agencies and farmers working tremendously hard to get these incidents resolved.” On Thursday (Aug 13), Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said crews had spent the night dealing with several significant wildfires. The service described the incidents as “complex and resourceintensive” and said they were placing “considerable pressure” on firefighting resources. Recent warm and exceptionally dry conditions have allowed fires to spread rapidly, with crews working to protect communities, homes, infrastructure and the environment. The public has been urged not to light anything outdoors which could create a spark, to stay away from affected areas and never to fly drones near firefighting operations. Anyone who sees flames or believes that life or property is in immediate danger should call 999.
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Welsh Water defends hosepipe ban after Lib Dem attack over leaks
WELSH WATER has defended its decision to impose a hosepipe ban in parts of west Wales, saying unprecedented demand threatened to outstrip its ability to produce and store drinking water. The company was responding to criticism from the Ceredigion Penfro Liberal Democrats, who claimed it lost around 234 million litres of water every day through leaks during 2024/25. The party said the annual loss of 85 billion litres was equivalent to filling 94 Olympic-sized swimming pools every day. Its councillors accused Welsh Water of expecting households to conserve supplies while failing to tackle leaks and years of underinvestment in the network. However, Welsh Water said demand across its operating area had risen to around 20% above normal and exceeded one billion litres a day for ten consecutive days. A spokesperson said: “The temporary hosepipe ban in mid and south Ceredigion was introduced to protect local supplies after unprecedented demand risked outstripping production and storage capacity. “Across our operating area, demand was around 20% above normal and exceeded one billion litres a day for ten consecutive days. Demand also remained unusually high overnight, limiting the opportunity for service reservoirs to replenish.
“Alongside the ban, our teams have been working around the clock to maximise production and repair leaks, with 226 leaks repaired in mid and south Ceredigion during July. “However, this hot summer is leading to more burst pipes across the UK as the ground contracts in the heat. We are recruiting and deploying more gangs to reduce leakage across our operating area. “Leakage remains a priority. We manage
Teenage lifeguard paddles 200 metres to rescue group caught in Tenby rip current A TEENAGE lifeguard paddled 200 metres out to sea as part of a successful rescue after three people were swept away from Tenby’s Castle Beach on a paddleboard. RNLI lifeguards were alerted on Sunday (Aug 9) after the group became caught in a rip current and began drifting rapidly offshore. Lifeguard Lili Collier, aged 17, immediately entered the water on a rescue board and paddled out to reach them. One member of the group, described as a strong swimmer, was able to make their own way back to the beach. Lili helped another person onto her rescue board before paddling them safely ashore. Meanwhile, fellow Castle Beach lifeguard Gabe Thicker, aged 20, entered the water with a rescue tube and brought the remaining man and paddleboard back to safety. Seasonal Lifeguard Supervisor Tai Jackson praised the pair’s swift response. He said: “Lili and Gabe acted efficiently to help the people on the paddleboard, who were being pulled quickly out to sea. They did an excellent job and returned them safely to shore. “At Castle Beach there is usually a rip current at high tide which can take people out to sea. If you are planning a visit, speak to the lifeguards for advice and stay between the red and yellow flags.” He also urged anyone who gets into difficulty to resist the instinct to panic and
follow the RNLI’s Float to Live advice. “Try to relax and float on your back, with your head tilted back and your ears submerged,” he said. “Gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat. This buys valuable time to bring your breathing back under control before calling for help or swimming to safety.” RNLI lifeguards are patrolling South Pembrokeshire beaches daily between 10am and 6pm. Beachgoers are advised to choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. Anyone caught in a rip current should: Avoid swimming directly against it, as this can quickly cause exhaustion. Stay with their board if they have one, or Float to Live if they do not. Wade rather than swim if they can stand. Move parallel to the shore until clear of the current, then head back to land. Raise a hand and shout for help.
around 27,000km of water mains and are committed to reducing leakage by 24% by 2030, supported by our record investment programme of more than £4 billion.” Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Alistair Cameron said people were entitled to question why they were being asked to make sacrifices while hundreds of millions of litres were being lost through leaks. He said: “With hotter, drier summers becoming increasingly common, we
cannot keep lurching from one shortage to the next. “Dŵr Cymru needs to urgently invest in fixing leaks and making our water network resilient for the future, rather than expecting households to pick up the slack for years of underinvestment.” Welsh Water did not directly confirm or dispute the Liberal Democrats’ figure of 234 million litres lost each day, nor did it say how its 2024/25 leakage performance compared with its regulatory target.
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RNLI crews save sinking motor vessel off South Hook ANGLE RNLI came to the aid of a 40ft motor vessel after it began taking on water rapidly near the South Hook LNG terminal on Thursday morning (August 13). The vessel, which had one person on board, issued a Pan-Pan urgency call shortly before the lifeboat was tasked at 11:46am. When the Angle crew arrived, the stricken vessel was already being towed towards shallower water by Milford Haven Harbour Patrol. A Port Authority pilot vessel also attended the scene. With a significant amount of water entering the boat, two RNLI crew members transferred aboard with the lifeboat’s salvage pump. They managed to bring the flooding under control and traced the problem to a damaged shaft, which could not be repaired at sea. Following discussions with Milford Haven Vessel Traffic Services and HM Coastguard, it was decided to tow the vessel to Neyland Marina, where Dale Sailing could carry out an emergency lift. Angle lifeboat took over the tow from Harbour Patrol and proceeded towards Neyland under escort. At the marina entrance, the vessel was secured
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alongside the lifeboat and carefully
manoeuvred into lifting slings before being raised clear of the water. Once the vessel was safely ashore, the two volunteer crew members and
salvage pump returned to the lifeboat. Angle lifeboat was back at its berth and ready for further service by 2:50pm.
Newcastle Emlyn man fined for cocaine, ketamine and cannabis possession A NEWCASTLE EMLYN man has been fined after admitting possessing cocaine, ketamine and cannabis. Abdullah Alyufrusi, aged 34, of Station Terrace, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Friday (Aug 7). The three drug offences followed an incident at Heathmoor, Station Road, Newcastle Emlyn, on October 15 last year. Court records state that Alyufrusi was found in possession of quantities of cocaine, ketamine and cannabis. He indicated guilty pleas to possession
of the Class A drug cocaine and the Class B drugs ketamine and cannabis. Magistrates fined him £120 for the cocaine offence and £80 for possessing ketamine. No separate penalty was imposed for the cannabis offence. He was also ordered to pay £85 towards prosecution costs. The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all three drugs. A separate charge alleging that Alyufrusi failed to attend a follow-up drug assessment in Cardigan was withdrawn.
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Dyfed-Powys chief joins warning over early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers DYFED-POWYS Police Chief Tom Sinclair Constable Ifan Charles has joined editor@herald.email police leaders from across the UK in urging the Prime Minister to public safety, victims’ confidence and prevent the early release of two wider trust in the criminal justice men responsible for the death of system. PC Andrew Harper. They stressed that they were not Mr Charles is among 50 policing and suggesting the death of a police officer law-enforcement leaders who have carried greater weight than that of any signed an open letter calling on the other victim. Government to examine every lawful The letter said: “Our concern is for all option available. victims and families affected by serious PC Harper, a 28-year-old Thames offending sentencing changes.” Valley Police officer, was killed in It calls on the Government to August 2019 after being dragged introduce an additional publicbehind a getaway vehicle while protection safeguard whenever responding to the theft of a quad bike release arrangements involving the in Berkshire. most serious offenders are changed. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers Police leaders say the impact on were subsequently convicted of victims, community safety and the manslaughter and each sentenced continuing risk posed by an offender to 13 years in prison. They could should be considered in cases now be released substantially involving deaths, exceptionally earlier than originally anticipated serious violence, stalking, harassment following changes to prisoner-release and violence against women and girls. arrangements. PC Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, The letter warns that the issue successfully campaigned for Harper’s extends beyond policing and affects Law, which introduced mandatory life victims and bereaved families sentences for those convicted of killing throughout the country. emergency workers in the course of Police leaders said changes resulting their duties in certain circumstances. in serious offenders leaving prison However, the legislation cannot earlier than expected risk undermining
Driver banned for 40 months after cocaine offences and Carmarthen collision A MOTORIST who drove with cocaine above the prescribed limit and failed to stop following a collision in Carmarthen has been banned from driving for 40 months. Jamie Short, aged 41, of Saron Road, Ammanford, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court in connection with offences committed during January. The court record states that Short was driving a Mini Cooper in Pentrefelin Street, Carmarthen, on January 11 when a collision caused damage to a Volvo V40 and a Renault Master. Short pleaded guilty to failing to stop following the collision, driving without due care and attention, having no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. A separate charge of failing to report the collision was withdrawn. One week later, on January 18, Short was stopped while driving the same Mini Cooper in Mansel Street.
Analysis of a blood sample found 39 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood and 240 micrograms of benzoylecgonine — a cocaine metabolite — per litre. Short pleaded guilty to both drugdriving offences, as well as further counts of driving without insurance and otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He also admitted failing to surrender to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 16. An alternative bail offence was withdrawn. Magistrates imposed a community order requiring Short to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 days of rehabilitation activity. He was disqualified from driving for 40 months and ordered to pay £85 towards prosecution costs. No separate penalties were imposed for several of the associated motoring offences.
be applied retrospectively to those convicted over her husband’s death. The letter added: “The public should be able to trust that when a court passes sentence for the most serious crimes, victims, public protection and confidence in the justice system
remain at the heart of any subsequent decisions about release.” Dyfed-Powys Police said policing remained ready to work with the Government on safeguards needed to protect victims, the wider public and confidence in the justice system.
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Council rejects ‘queue-jumping’ claims as 56 homes allocated
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has rejected claims that overseas applicants are being allowed to “queue-jump” for social housing and confirmed that it has no agreement to reserve properties for people from Birmingham or elsewhere. The clarification follows a sceptical response to a “mythbusting” post published by the council’s housing service explaining how Local Lettings Policies operate. Some residents questioned whether homes were genuinely being allocated to people with connections to Pembrokeshire, while others repeated longstanding rumours that properties were being funded or reserved for residents of English cities. Responding to questions from The Pembrokeshire Herald, the council said there was “no such agreement in place” with Birmingham City Council or any other local authority involving the funding or reservation of Pembrokeshire social housing. It also disclosed that 56 properties had been allocated through Local Lettings Policies during the past two years. The council said: “All properties were allocated by following the specific Local Lettings Policy created for each development.” Local Lettings Policies are normally used for the first allocation of homes on selected new council developments. Once those initial allocations have been completed, subsequent vacancies ordinarily revert to the rural and urban communities provisions contained within the wider Choice Homes allocation policy. However, the council said an exception could apply where a planning condition requires a particular local restriction to remain in place permanently.
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The authority also confirmed that applicants do not have to work in Pembrokeshire to qualify. Employment is one possible way of demonstrating a connection, but applicants need to satisfy only one of the local connection criteria contained within the policy for the particular development. Other considerations can include residence, children’s schooling and caring responsibilities. The council explained that its own Local Lettings Policies apply only to homes developed by Pembrokeshire County Council. Housing associations such as ateb and other Choice Homes partners are responsible for developing their own policies for allocating newly built properties. Addressing allegations about applicants arriving from overseas, the council said: “This is a regular
theme of comments we receive and is unfounded. “All applicants are subject to an immigration status check before joining the register. The revised allocations policy strengthens the connection to Pembrokeshire. “There is a list of exemption groups which is in the published policy. For all other applicants unable to establish this link, they will not be eligible to join the housing register.” The revised Choice Homes policy is due to take effect on October 28. It introduces a new eligibility assessment and requires most applicants to demonstrate a defined connection to Pembrokeshire. The published criteria include having lived permanently in Pembrokeshire for the past five years, or for a continuous five-year period during the past 15 years. Specified exceptions cover circumstances including essential support needs, domestic
abuse, armed forces service, certain key jobs, care leavers and approved foster or adoptive families. The council said allocation outcomes are published on the Choice Homes website after properties have been let. These records show the successful applicant’s priority band and waiting time, as well as the number of bids received. However, the council did not provide the requested breakdown showing how many of the 56 successful households established their local connection through residence, employment, schooling, caring responsibilities or another qualifying route. The revised policy and supporting local-connection guidance can be found on the Choice Homes Pembrokeshire website. Previous allocation results are also published through its Successful Bidders section.
Pembroke Dock man denies nine child sexual offences A PEMBROKE DOCK man has denied nine offences involving indecent images and alleged sexual activity with children. Dean Jones, aged 42, is accused of making 253 Category A indecent images of children, together with 250 Category B images and 339 Category C images. The prosecution alleges the offences were committed in Pembroke Dock on September 30, 2024. Jones also faces four counts of sexually assaulting children under the age of 13 by touching. He is further accused of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with
a 13-year-old girl between February 2012 and February 2019, and of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity between February 2013 and February 2018. Jones appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week and pleaded not guilty to all nine charges. The magistrates declined jurisdiction following an application by the prosecution, and the case was sent to Swansea Crown Court, where Jones is due to appear on September 12. He was released on conditional bail. He must not contact the alleged victims, either directly or indirectly.
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Council responds to claims of housing allocated to people from Birmingham Council says new social homes are prioritised for people with genuine local connections, amid continued rumours about out-of-county allocations
PEMBROKESHIRE’S council has again stressed that housing developments in the county aren’t used to provide accommodation for people from Birmingham or any other English cities. In recent years, fears have been raised that housing developments in Pembrokeshire would house people from Birmingham, Liverpool, and other areas, which have been refuted by the council. The council’s housing team says it has involved local communities in all new housing developments in the county, including Old School Lane, Johnston; Tudor Place, Tiers Cross; Sandy Hill, Broad Haven; Harcourt Close, Hook; Rose Haven Gardens, Rosemarket; Glan y Mor, Saundersfoot; and Golwg y Cleddau, Pembroke Dock. Following recent social media
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comments on who will be allocated new homes, the council has said: “For new housing developments, properties are often allocated using a Local Lettings Policy. A Local Lettings Policy sets out specific local connection criteria that applicants must meet before they can be considered for a property within a particular development. “The local community has an important role in shaping the Local Lettings Policy. Residents help decide what local connections are most important for their area: This may include: a minimum period of time someone has lived in the areas, employment within the area, children’s schooling arrangements, caring responsibilities
for family members. “The community also helps determine the length of time that constitutes a meaningful local connection and the geographical area that applicants should be connected to.” Quoting a regular comment “you are allocating to people from Birmingham,” the council stated: “Pembrokeshire County Council does not have any agreement that reserves social housing for people from Birmingham, or any other area of the country. “Properties are allocated through the Choice Homes Pembroke shire Housing Register, and applicants must meet the requirements set out within the relevant allocation policies. “We recognise the frustration experienced by many local families who are struggling to access affordable housing. The limited availability of
suitable homes remains a significant challenge across the county. “Local Lettings Policies are designed to support people with a genuine connection to a particular area, helping them access suitable housing or return to a community where they have established roots.” Back in 2022, after permission was granted for a 50-home social housing estate on land off Maesgwynne Lane, Fishguard, rumours surfaced that the development had been sold off to Birmingham City Council for overflow housing, dismissed by the developers as having “no truth whatsoever”. Wales & West Housing rubbished the claims saying that they are completely untrue. Birmingham City Council added at the time: “This is not something we are aware of here, so it appears to be an inaccurate rumour.” More recently, claims Tenby’s Brynhir housing development will house “illegal immigrants” through purchases by an English council have been refuted by Pembrokeshire County Council. Back in 2024, the scheme, with nearly 100 “local houses for local people” was approved by national park planners. However, fears were raised that some of the site will house “illegal immigrants” via an English council, in that case Liverpool. Responding, a Pembrokeshire County Council spokesperson said: “These rumours are untrue. This site is owned and managed by the local authority. Allocations will be made to those from our Choice Homes register in accordance with a local connection lettings policy that will be developed in conjunction with the local town and community councils, and local community, in due course.”
Gloucester woman fined over thefts from Cardigan shops A GLOUCESTER woman has been ordered to pay more than £500 after admitting thefts from two shops in Cardigan. Bridget Sheridan, aged 46, of Burns Avenue, pleaded guilty to stealing two trainers worth £179.98 from Tenovus on June 6. She also admitted stealing Nike T-shirts worth £46 from another Cardigan retailer on the same date. Llanelli Magistrates’ Court fined
Sheridan £200 for the first theft and imposed no separate penalty for the second offence because the items had been recovered. Victim personal statements relating to the thefts were read to the court by the prosecutor. Sheridan also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on July 1, having previously been released on bail. She was fined a further £120 for
that offence. Magistrates ordered her to pay an additional £128 surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs, bringing the total financial penalty to £533. The court ordered that the money should be deducted from Sheridan’s benefits. Two additional bail charges relating to an alleged failure to attend court on July 29 were withdrawn.
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Jailed former PC asked to stay in Pembroke but never did, family says
A relative says police overheard a provisional conversation and apparently told one of James Stillman’s victims that he would be staying in Pembrokeshire
Former police officer James Stillman alongside a police uniform THE FAMILY of a jailed former Devon and Cornwall Police officer has confirmed that he discussed staying in Pembroke following his arrest— but says the proposed arrangement never went ahead. James Stillman, 32, has a close relative living in the town. However, the relative and her partner say he has never visited their home and has not been to Pembrokeshire since 2018. They visited The Pembrokeshire Herald’s office on Thursday (Aug 13) after an earlier report examined information given to one of Stillman’s victims about his whereabouts while on bail. The relative said police contacted her following Stillman’s arrest and facilitated a telephone conversation between them. During that conversation, Stillman asked whether he could stay at her Pembroke home. She replied that she would first need to discuss it with her partner. A relative believes an officer overheard a provisional conversation and subsequently told the victim that Stillman would be staying in Pembroke. However, the relative and her partner said the proposed stay never took place. They said Stillman had never visited their property and had not been anywhere in Pembrokeshire since 2018. The reason the provisional arrangement did not proceed remains unclear. The couple also said they were upset that police had not kept them informed about subsequent developments in the case. Their account appears to explain the previously conflicting information. It supports the victim’s statement that she
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was told by a police officer that Stillman would stay in Pembroke, while also supporting Devon and Cornwall Police’s denial that he actually did so. Responding to The Herald before the family’s visit, the force said: “While on bail, Stillman was not staying in Pembrokeshire.” Asked whether he had stayed with a relative in Pembroke, it added: “This is incorrect.” The Herald will not identify the relative, her partner or their address. There is no suggestion that either had any involvement in Stillman’s offending. Stillman, formerly of Chard, was jailed for 28 months in June after admitting three counts of misconduct in public office involving two vulnerable females. The Herald has spoken at length with one of those women and has seen correspondence sent to her by the Crown Prosecution Service explaining why Stillman was not charged with rape. She has lifelong statutory anonymity and The Herald is withholding any details capable of identifying her. The CPS has accepted that the wording of its letter may have confused the complainant and says prosecutors will be reminded to avoid similar double negatives. It has also confirmed that Stillman’s sentence has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the SolicitorGeneral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Letter said allegation would fail The CPS letter, dated January 27, 2026, recorded the woman’s account in
unambiguous terms: “The first is – did the complainant consent. You have told us that you did not.” It continued: “The second is – did the defendant reasonably believe that you were not consenting. The evidence we have does not show that the defendant would have known that you were not consenting. In the circumstances an allegation of rape will fail.” The wording prompted questions because the legal issue under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is whether a defendant did not reasonably believe that the complainant consented. The reasonableness of any claimed belief must be assessed in all the circumstances, including any steps taken to establish whether the complainant consented. The CPS’s own rape and sexual offences guidance expresses the issue as two questions: whether the suspect genuinely believed the complainant consented and, if so, whether that belief was reasonable. The Herald asked the CPS whether the January letter had inverted that test by asking whether Stillman reasonably believed the woman was “not consenting”, and why it referred to what he “would have known” rather than whether he had a reasonable belief in consent. The CPS maintains that the correct legal test was applied and that the wording of the letter was correct, while accepting that its construction could confuse a complainant. Gary Cockram, CPS South West area communications manager, told The Herald: “We are taking action through our Victims’ Programme to drive improvement in our victim communications, especially in relation to providing clear explanations of our legal decisions and delivering a consistently high standard of service. “We accept the use of double negatives in the letter may have been confusing, and will be reminding prosecutors to use alternative language where possible in future correspondence with complainants.” The CPS said it could not discuss evidence that was not presented in court. It did not answer further questions about how the prosecutor assessed Stillman’s claimed belief, what steps he was said to have taken to establish consent, or whether the charging decision would
now receive an independent review. It said there was no applicable right to review because charges were brought in the case, even though rape was not among them. Rape allegation not formally referred by police Stillman was arrested on suspicion of rape on the day the woman complained, Devon and Cornwall Police has confirmed. However, the CPS has told The Herald that police did not formally refer a rape allegation to prosecutors for a charging decision. A CPS spokesperson said: “Although the police did not refer an allegation of rape to us for consideration, all possible offences arising from the available evidence were considered.” The service said the decision was taken by an experienced Rape and Serious Sexual Offences prosecutor and was overseen by the head of its Complex Casework Unit and a deputy chief crown prosecutor, both of whom were RASSO trained. It added: “The Crown Prosecution Service carefully reviewed evidence relating to an allegation of rape and decided that the case failed to meet the evidential test.” The CPS said Devon and Cornwall Police’s Professional Standards Department initially referred an allegation of misconduct in public office in September 2025. Prosecutors eventually charged Stillman with three counts of misconduct in public office and one count of sexual assault. Stillman admitted all three misconduct offences. The CPS said the sexual assault was “subsumed into the facts” of the first count. That count concerned Stillman having sexual intercourse with a vulnerable woman while on duty on September 1, 2025. He had attended her home in his capacity as an officer after she reported an assault. The woman told The Herald that Stillman had previously visited her address for welfare checks connected with domestic abuse, including at night. She alleges that before September 1 he asked her to perform oral sex on three occasions and that she refused each time. Those allegations were put to Devon
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Sir Geoffrey Cox KC MP and Cornwall Police. The force did not say specifically whether they were recorded, investigated or passed to the CPS, instead providing a general statement that it takes such incidents seriously and follows victim-centred, suspect-focused and context-led principles. Stillman has not been convicted of rape, and his position in response to the woman’s detailed allegations has not been heard in court. His convictions were for misconduct in public office; the CPS says the separate sexual assault allegation was subsumed into the facts of the first count. Second victim found through phone examination Devon and Cornwall Police has confirmed that examination of Stillman’s mobile phone led directly to the investigation involving the second victim. The force said she was 16 when the relevant incidents occurred on August 4 and 5, 2025. Stillman met the teenager through his police duties and later admitted misconduct involving inappropriate sexual messaging and sexual touching. Police said they were not aware of any further complaints or allegations concerning inappropriate sexual behaviour by Stillman arising from his duties. Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said after sentencing that Stillman had abused “his position of power and authority to target his victims for his own needs in the belief that they were unlikely to report his actions to the police”. He described Stillman’s behaviour as “reprehensible” and praised both victims for their bravery. Sentence referred to Court of Appeal Stillman was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, June 19. An extract of the sentencing remarks subsequently sent to the first woman by police shows that the judge assessed
the sentence following a trial at 40 months. That was reduced by 30 per cent to 28 months to reflect Stillman’s guilty pleas, with 28 months imposed on each count concurrently. The judge said it was “the least sentence I can impose in all the circumstances” and anticipated that Stillman would serve 40 per cent before release on licence. The CPS has confirmed: “The SolicitorGeneral has referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.” A referral does not itself alter the sentence. The Court of Appeal will decide whether it was unduly lenient and, if so, whether it should be increased. No hearing date has yet been announced. Sir Geoffrey Cox contacted over case The Herald has seen a letter dated August 3 from the office of Sir Geoffrey Cox KC MP to the victim. It states that Stillman’s sentence had been referred to the Attorney General’s Office under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and also refers to concerns about the possible early release of offenders under current sentencing arrangements. The Herald asked Sir Geoffrey whether he personally considered the 28-month sentence unduly lenient, whether the CPS charging decision merited further scrutiny and what he made of the use of a non-disclosure agreement with the victim. No substantive response had been received from Sir Geoffrey by the time this article was prepared. Force accepts NDA should not have been used The woman and a domestic abuse worker were also asked to sign what has been described as a non-disclosure agreement shortly after she reported Stillman. Devon and Cornwall Police accepts the document should not have been used and says it was rescinded at the earliest opportunity. It has not answered The Herald’s questions about who authorised it, who presented it, whether it was signed, or the dates on which it was issued and withdrawn. ACC Mayhew said: “Any non-disclosure agreement should be very carefully considered. Whilst the intentions may have been noble, we accept it should not have been used on this occasion. “Its intention was never to silence the voice of the victim, and I apologise if it was received this way. The sole purpose was to ensure the integrity of the investigation was preserved and evidence recovered prior to the arrest of the suspect who was, at the time, a
Disputed proposed stay: Victim says police told her James Stillman would be staying in Pembroke. serving police officer.” The force separately told The Herald that it “never” uses NDAs for victims or witnesses. Asked to reconcile that position with the acknowledged use of one in this case, it said it was making further enquiries. A substantive response had not been received by the time this article was prepared. Police said all victims were immediately safeguarded and continued to receive support. Stillman was arrested on the day of the complaint and suspended after his release from custody. The force’s published statement says Stillman later resigned and was subject to an accelerated misconduct hearing. A subsequent response to The Herald said he “was dismissed by the Chief Constable”. The force was asked to clarify that apparent discrepancy, but a substantive answer had not been received when this article was prepared. Sexual Risk Order and police management Devon and Cornwall Police said investigators successfully obtained a Sexual Risk Order against Stillman and described this as placing him “on the Sex Offenders Register for two years”. It said he was recorded on ViSOR and managed by the MOSOVO team in the area where he was living. The Herald asked whether the
reference to the Sex Offenders Register was shorthand for the notification requirements arising from the Sexual Risk Order or whether another legal mechanism placed Stillman under the full notification requirements applying to convicted sex offenders. It also asked which force’s MOSOVO team managed him and which court made the order. No substantive clarification had been received by the time this article was prepared. Pembrokeshire position clarified The family’s account now provides the clearest explanation for why the victim was told that Stillman would stay in Pembroke while Devon and Cornwall Police maintains that he did not. It indicates that a possible stay was discussed during a police-facilitated telephone call, but that the provisional arrangement never became an actual stay. Dyfed-Powys Police said Devon and Cornwall Police was the appropriate force to answer questions because the underlying offences occurred in its area. The Herald also approached the Centre for Women’s Justice, Rape Crisis England and Wales, Victim Support, the End Violence Against Women Coalition and the Victims’ Commissioner. No substantive response had been received from those organisations by publication.
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Police release image after window smashed during Underwood protest
POLICE have released an image of a person they want to identify after a bungalow window was smashed during last week’s protest in Milford Haven concerning Brian Underwood. The criminal damage happened at around 9.27pm on Tuesday, August 4, as approximately 100 people gathered in Marble Hall Road. The bungalow is understood to be occupied by a relative of Underwood. There is no suggestion that the householder had any involvement in his offending. As previously reported by The Herald, witnesses said eggs were thrown at the property before a window was smashed and curtains were allegedly pulled through the broken opening. Dyfed-Powys Police subsequently confirmed that the protest had begun peacefully but that officers were required to impose a Section 42 Dispersal Order after property was damaged. No arrests were made that evening and the crowd dispersed shortly afterwards.
who they are? Please let us know.” Underwood, aged 36, indicated a guilty plea at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on July 28 to possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child. The court register records that the case involved one Category C image found on his phone. He is due to return to court for sentencing on Tuesday, August 18. Anyone with information about the criminal damage or the identity of the person pictured can contact DyfedPowys Police: • • •
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Officers investigating the damage said they have now pursued all other lines of enquiry and are appealing for help to identify the person shown in
the newly released image. Police stressed that the person pictured may have information that could assist the investigation. There is no suggestion at this stage that they were responsible for the damage. A spokesperson said: “Are you the person in this picture or do you know
•
Online through the force’s website By emailing 101@dyfed-powys. police.uk By sending the force a direct message on social media By calling 101
Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through its website. Quote reference: 26*635427.
Tenby great-grandmother marks 90th birthday by raising £950 for air ambulance
Doreen Harries celebrates her 90th birthday with members of her family. A PEMBROKESHIRE greatgrandmother celebrated her 90th birthday by asking family and friends to support the Wales Air Ambulance Charity instead of buying her presents. Doreen Harries, of Jeffreyston, near Tenby, raised an impressive £950 after requesting donations to the lifesaving service to mark her milestone birthday. Doreen, who has lived at the same farmhouse since marrying her late
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husband John more than 70 years ago, has four daughters, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She celebrated her birthday with around 70 guests at a tea party held at East Williamston Hall on Sunday, July 19. Her youngest daughter, Jan Phelan, said: “Mum said she wanted a party, but she didn’t want any gifts.
Doreen presents the £950 raised to Wales Air Ambulance director of finance Jayne Tucker. “She said, ‘I’m 90 and I’ve got everything wonderful total of £950 will play a part in I want here with my family.’ helping us save more lives. “She loved her birthday and it was a “It was an absolute pleasure to meet really beautiful day. Even during the Doreen, and it sounds as though she, following week, people continued visiting her family and her friends thoroughly her and bringing donations for the enjoyed the celebrations. Thank you so charity.” much, Doreen.” Jayne Tucker, director of finance at Wales Air Ambulance provides Wales Air Ambulance, later visited consultant-led critical care across the Doreen to collect the £950 cheque and country, bringing hospital-standard hear about the celebrations over a cup treatment directly to patients and of tea. transferring them to the most appropriate She said: “A huge thank you to Doreen hospital when necessary. for asking for donations instead of gifts Its crews can administer anaesthesia, to celebrate her special birthday. It was provide blood transfusions and carry out such a kind gesture. minor surgical procedures at the scene “We are incredibly grateful that Doreen of an incident. chose to turn her 90th birthday into a The charity relies on public donations meaningful opportunity to help people to raise £13 million each year to keep across Wales. its helicopters flying and rapid-response “Everyone who contributed to the vehicles on the road.
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‘I’m hardly ever caught’: The truth behind falling shoplifting figures in West Wales A PROLIFIC shoplifter who has repeatedly stolen from stores across Pembrokeshire and Cardiff claims he escapes detection “19 times out of 20”, raising questions about how accurately official statistics reflect the true scale of retail crime. The Herald has agreed to refer to the man as Mark, which is not his real name. His identity and criminal history are known to this newspaper. Mark has previously been caught shoplifting in both Pembrokeshire and elsewhere in Wales and has served several short prison sentences. However, he claims most of his offending is never reported or detected. “Most times I’m not caught,” he said. “I would say 19 out of 20 times nothing happens.” Mark said that when challenged by shop workers, he would usually hand back the goods and leave without becoming aggressive. “If they stop me, I give it back,” he said. “I don’t argue or fight with them. I’m polite. Staff don’t touch you, and sometimes you can just walk away.” He described one incident at a B&M store in which he filled a large tote bag with products before dragging it out of the shop. “They were shouting after me, but security didn’t follow me,” he claimed. “I just kept going.” Mark has experienced periods of homelessness and said that on some occasions he entered shops partly to escape the weather or because he was struggling with painful feet. “Sometimes I would go inside just to rest my feet,” he said. His account cannot be independently verified in full. However, his claims highlight a longstanding problem with shoplifting statistics: police figures only include offences which are reported and recorded. The latest official Home Office figures show that police recorded 485 shoplifting offences in Pembrokeshire during the year ending March 2026. That represents a fall of 19% from the 599 offences recorded during the previous 12 months. Across Carmarthenshire, 753 offences were recorded, a fall of 5%, while Ceredigion recorded 222 offences, an increase of just under 2%. The national picture also shows a recent reduction. Police recorded 507,086 shoplifting offences across England and Wales in the year ending March 2026, down 4% from 530,324 the previous year. However, separate figures released by Dyfed-Powys Police under the Freedom of Information Act demonstrate how sharply the Pembrokeshire total can fluctuate.
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The force recorded 461 shoplifting offences in the county during 2023, rising to 695 in 2024 before falling to 432 in 2025. The statistics contrast with research published by the Open Research Forum, which claimed shoplifting in Pembrokeshire had increased by 99.6% over three years. Its analysis placed Pembrokeshire fifth among local authorities in England and Wales for the largest increase, comparing data from May 2023 to April 2024 with the period from May 2025 to April 2026. However, that research relied on individual crime records published through data.police.uk and allocated offences to local authorities using anonymised geographical information. Data.police.uk warns that the accuracy of crime locations varies between police forces and is estimated to range from 60% to 97%. Locations are also deliberately moved to nearby anonymous map points to protect victims’ privacy. That means the Open Research Forum findings should be treated cautiously, particularly when compared with official Home Office and police totals. Retail organisations have consistently warned that recorded crime figures capture only a fraction of theft from shops. The Association of Convenience Stores estimated that its members experienced approximately 5.8 million incidents of theft during the latest reporting period. Although this was down from 6.2 million the previous year, almost two-thirds of retailers said theft had increased in their own businesses. There are numerous reasons why retailers may not report an offence. These include the value of the goods, a lack of evidence, the time needed to complete a report and a belief that no meaningful
action will follow. Changes in police recording practices and levels of cooperation between retailers and officers can also cause reported offences to rise or fall without
necessarily reflecting the number of thefts taking place. The Office for National Statistics has acknowledged that recent increases in recorded shoplifting are likely to reflect both genuine growth in offending and improved reporting following closer engagement between police and retailers. Mark’s account presents a picture of repeated low-level offending which frequently ends without police involvement, even when staff become aware that goods are being taken. His claims do not excuse or diminish the impact of shoplifting, which raises costs for businesses and customers and can leave retail workers facing intimidation, abuse and violence. They do, however, suggest that falling police figures may not tell the entire story. For every offence appearing in the official statistics, there may be many others which remain unreported, undetected or dealt with informally at the shop door.
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Fire service concludes blaze was accidental following arson arrest A FIRE which destroyed a Carmarthenshire bungalow began accidentally in garden vegetation, investigators have concluded. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that the blaze at Glan Yr Afon, Ammanford, started in vegetation within the garden before spreading to a vehicle and then to the home. The finding follows confirmation from Dyfed-Powys Police that a 52-year-old Ammanford woman was arrested on suspicion of arson. She was subsequently released under investigation. Nobody has been charged, and the fire service’s conclusion that the ignition was accidental raises questions about whether the police investigation remains active. The Herald has asked Dyfed-Powys Police to clarify the present status of its investigation. Bungalow destroyed Firefighters received the first emergency call at 2.56pm on Saturday (Aug 8). Ammanford’s primary appliance was already attending another emergency, while the availability of other local
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resources was affected by crewing requirements connected to specialist capabilities. The nearest available appliance was therefore sent from Tumble, arriving at 3.19pm—23 minutes after the initial call. Further crews arrived shortly afterwards from Pontardawe, Llanelli, Pontiets and Morriston. Five fire engines, a turntable ladder and two operational officers attended in total. Firefighters used ground monitors, hose-reel jets, main jets, thermalimaging cameras and aerial firefighting equipment as they tackled the blaze defensively. The bungalow was destroyed. A neighbouring property also suffered heat and fire damage, including damage to a gas service pipe. Utility companies attended and isolated supplies to both homes to protect residents. Exceptional demand The fire service said its resources were experiencing exceptionally high
he fire caused extensive damage to the bungalow at Glan Yr Afon, Ammanford (Image: Anthony, Precision Sports Photography) operational demand at the time, with several crews deployed outside their normal station areas. It said the incident occurred during sustained periods of high activity and major incidents across its area during what it described as one of the hottest summers on record. Residents have questioned whether the property might have suffered less damage had a local appliance been immediately available. The service said response times could vary according to location, operational demand and the
availability of resources. An operational assurance review will now be undertaken to identify any lessons arising from the incident. A spokesperson added: “In the event of a fire, the safest course of action is to get out, stay out and call 999.” Free home fire-safety checks are available by calling the service on 0800 169 1234. The Herald is awaiting a response from Dyfed-Powys Police about the apparent difference between the arson arrest and the subsequent finding of accidental ignition.
Man sent to Crown Court accused of raping girl in Carmarthenshire A 43-YEAR-OLD man has been sent to the Crown Court accused of raping a girl under the age of 16 in Carmarthenshire. Adrian Fine, of Swansea, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Aug 6). The charge alleges that Fine raped the girl in between October 12, 1999, and October 13, 2000. The alleged offence falls under the Sexual Offences Act 1956, which was the legislation in force at the time. No plea was entered during the
magistrates’ court hearing. District Judge Mark Layton sent the case to Swansea Crown Court for trial and remanded Fine in custody. He is due to appear by live video link for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Monday, September 7, at 9:00am. The allegation has not been proved and Fine remains innocent unless convicted. The complainant is entitled to lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.
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Gaza at the Eisteddfod: Rhun speaks for Wales IF the National Eisteddfod offers a glimpse of the Wales we could become, then it also shows how our small nation can play a meaningful role on the world stage. Every year, Wales celebrates its language and culture in a way that is surely unique. For eight days and evenings, thousands gather in a place filled with Welsh conversation, music, song, performance, debate and ceremony. For weeks beforehand, the Eisteddfod transforms its host area. Signs, sculptures and decorations appear along roads and lanes, created by farmers, families, schools, churches and businesses. The event itself was magnificently organised across a vast site. One visitor, looking around the Maes, sighed: “Why can’t Britain be run like this?” I was volunteering at a stall devoted to what I believe is the defining horror of our age: the relentless destruction of Gaza and the suffering of the Palestinian people. Wales has never concerned itself solely with its own future. We have a long tradition of seeing ourselves as part of the wider family of nations. The idea of Wales as a community of communities reaches beyond our borders, while the Welsh concept of the milltir sgwâr binds people, place and environment together as the foundation of identity. It was fitting, therefore, that First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth chose to speak to the crowd gathered at the Gaza exhibition. “Wales was one of the first parliaments to call for a ceasefire,” he said. “There are lots of people in Wales who share our revulsion at what is happening in Gaza, and as politicians, we give voice to those feelings.” He also used a word that national leaders have often avoided: genocide. One woman listening burst into tears. “I feel so proud of Wales,” she said. The destruction of Gaza does not affect only those living on that small strip of land. It has caused profound anguish among people across the world who have watched events unfold and felt powerless to stop them. There are many such people in Wales. Around £500 was donated at our
stall each day. Visitors were able to see photographs of a remarkable tapestry documenting the war, handstitched by Palestinian women using the traditional art of tatreez. Tatreez has long been an expression of Palestinian culture, identity and memory. I met embroidery teachers in Cairo who explained how stitching could, even briefly, ease their pain and give them a sense of home. Solidarity must now extend beyond marches and words. Communities across Wales are preparing to welcome families from Gaza and help them begin healing and rebuilding their lives in safe, supportive surroundings. Anyone can become involved, and MPs and Members of the Senedd should be asked to support this work. The UK’s existing Community Sponsorship scheme allows local groups to help refugee families settle, but it does not currently provide an effective route for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. Campaigners are calling on the UK Government to remove that barrier and establish a workable pathway. Meanwhile, people continue to die. There are mountains blocking the way to a humane and peaceful future. We need help to remove them. Together, we can. To contribute news, photographs or other material to the community page, contact Vicky Moller at Vicky@ grwp.wales.
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Blood bike Dwynwen nears retirement after 65,000 miles supporting NHS A BLOOD BIKE which has travelled more than 65,000 miles while supporting NHS services on Anglesey is approaching the end of its remarkable time on the road. Dwynwen has spent the past three years carrying essential medical items between hospitals, laboratories and other healthcare facilities as part of Blood Bikes Wales’ free courier service. The motorcycle has played a particularly important role in journeys to and from Ysbyty Penrhos Stanley in Holyhead. As Dwynwen prepares for retirement, the charity has paid tribute to the volunteers who have ridden the bike in all weather conditions and at all hours of the day. Blood Bikes Wales also thanked the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Association, whose financial support has helped maintain the service on Dwynwen has covered more than 65,000 miles supporting NHS services on Anglesey during the past three years (Pic: the island. The charity said: “Every one of those Blood Bikes Wales) miles represents a journey undertaken Tom Sinclair “Ride safely, Dwynwen. You’ve Blood Bikes Wales provides its by a volunteer, giving their time to editor@herald.email certainly earned your rest.” service completely free of charge, support patients and NHS staff across Across Wales, the charity’s volunteer helping transport essential medical them happen, and thank you to the Isle riders collectively covered more than items and keeping important NHS Wales. “Thank you, Dwynwen, for the miles. of Anglesey Charitable Association for 400,000 miles during the past 12 deliveries moving when they are Thank you to our volunteers for making helping us along the way. months. needed.
Man admits attempting sexual communication with child A 29-YEAR-OLD man has admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child in west Wales. Daniel Knudson, currently living at a bail hostel in Swansea, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Aug 6). The charge states that between May 30 and June 12, 2025, Knudson intentionally attempted to communicate sexually with a person under the age of 16 for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification. The communication was described in the court record as including sexually explicit conversation. Knudson indicated a guilty plea to an offence under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.
District Judge Mark Layton adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report, with the court stating that all sentencing options remain open. Knudson was released on conditional bail and must continue to live and sleep at the Swansea bail hostel. His bail conditions prohibit him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, unless the contact is inadvertent and could not reasonably have been avoided. The court also imposed temporary notification requirements requiring Knudson to register with the police while the case remains outstanding. He is due to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Thursday, August 27.
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Neyland mum launches fundraiser to help baby son receive treatment A NEYLAND mum is appealing for help to raise more than £2400 for a specialist helmet for her eightmonth-old son, after he developed a severe form of flat-head syndrome. Codie Hamilton, 26, says she has tried everything she can to secure treatment for her baby boy, DennyJames, but has been left struggling to cover the cost of the helmet he needs. Denny-James has been diagnosed with severe brachycephaly and severe plagiocephaly, with Codie saying his condition has become increasingly noticeable as he has grown. According to his mum, the shape of his head has become so severe that his forehead is now beginning to bulge as his brain continues to grow. Codie says she was initially reassured that Denny-James’ flat head would improve naturally as he got older. However, as his condition progressed, she began seeking further help and was told that a specialist helmet could help correct the shape of his head. Codie has now turned to the public for support after struggling to meet the cost of the treatment. She said: “I was recently let down with the cost of the helmet on two separate occasions. “I have tried everything I can to provide treatment for my son. “This is my last hope. I would be grateful for any support to get my son the treatment he needs.” Denny-James’ journey has been far from straightforward. Codie was pregnant with twins, but at around eight weeks into the pregnancy, she watched one of the babies’ heartbeats stop. She said the pregnancy was a heterotopic pregnancy, with DennyJames’ twin tearing her fallopian tube and causing internal bleeding. Codie also faced serious complications while continuing with the pregnancy. She said: “Denny was making me
Cerys Lafferty
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extremely poorly and I was told it was best to terminate but I chose not to.” Despite the challenges Codie experienced throughout the pregnancy, Denny-James was eventually born a “wonderfully healthy baby”. His health journey did not end there, however. At just two weeks old, Denny-James began suffering from tremors. Codie said he underwent an EEG, which came back clear, leaving them unsure what had caused the episodes. Thankfully, she says the tremors have since stopped. Now, Codie is fighting to get him the treatment he needs As a mum of three, Codie says she is determined to do everything possible to make sure Denny-James receives the treatment recommended for his condition. The eventual £2450 fundraising target would allow her to cover the cost of the specialist helmet, which
she hopes will help improve her baby’s health. For Codie, the fundraiser is about giving her little boy the best possible chance of receiving the treatment he needs. Anyone wishing to support Codie and
Denny-James can donate through their GoFundMe fundraiser here. For Codie, every donation, no matter how small, could help bring DennyJames one step closer to receiving his helmet and the treatment she has been fighting to secure for him.
Denny-James receiving an EEG for his tremors.
Waterston woman admits Haverfordwest Castle Square attack A WATERSTON woman has admitted kicking and punching another woman after hearing that the victim had been talking about her. Shian Price, 24, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where she pleaded guilty to assaulting Elizabeth Webster in Castle Square, Haverfordwest, on July 26. “The defendant made full admissions that she had heard the victim had been
talking about her,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told the court. “As a result, she kicked and punched Elizabeth Webster several times, causing the victim considerable pain.” Magistrates adjourned sentencing until August 20 to allow probation officers to prepare an all-options presentence report. Price, of Biggins Hill, Waterston, was released on unconditional bail until her next court appearance.
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Boat thief fractures skull after stolen vessel breaks loose A THIEF who stole a boat and trailer from a Pembrokeshire harbour was left with a fractured skull, jaw and ribs after the vessel broke loose and his van overturned. Christopher Iredale hitched the wooden boat and its trailer to his Volkswagen Caddy at Porthgain Harbour on May 16. But as the 37-year-old drove through the nearby village of Croesgoch, the boat became detached from the trailer and his vehicle struck a hedge. “The car ended up on its roof,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week. Iredale suffered serious injuries, including fractures to his skull, jaw and ribs, as well as soft-tissue damage. Despite his condition, officers obtained blood samples which revealed 108 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80mg. When interviewed by police, Iredale said: “I hold my hands up, as I hate drinkdrivers myself. I genuinely don’t know what I was doing.” Iredale, of Oakdale Road, Carlton, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to stealing the boat and trailer and to drink-driving. His solicitor, Jess Hill, said Iredale had been drinking heavily that day and was unable to remember what had happened.
“He’s extremely disappointed in himself and doesn’t wish to drive again due to the fear of what can happen behind the wheel,” she said. “This is very out of character for him, and he wants to address the issue so that it
never happens again.” Magistrates sentenced Iredale to a 12-month community order requiring him to complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and 80 hours of unpaid work. He must also comply with a 60-
day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. Iredale was disqualified from driving for 14 months and ordered to pay an £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.
Pembroke woman stole food and drinks worth £5.34 from garage A PEMBROKE woman has been given a conditional discharge after admitting stealing food and drinks worth £5.34 from a service station. Alisha Stokes, aged 32, of Devon Drive, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Aug 10). She admitted stealing an iced coffee, chicken tikka and a Starbucks Frappuccino from the Ascona service station at Bush Hill, Pembroke, on May
29 The court imposed a 12-month conditional discharge, meaning Stokes must commit no further offences during that period. The register states that the sentence recognised her attempts to remove herself from “destabilising influences”. Stokes was ordered to pay £5.34 compensation to the service station and £85 prosecution costs.
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Police watchdog will not investigate fatal A40 collision involving patrol car THE POLICE watchdog will not independently investigate the death of a man who was struck by several vehicles, including a marked police patrol car, on the A40 at Carmarthen. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has confirmed that it received a mandatory referral from DyfedPowys Police on July 29, the day after 44-year-old Gerad Trojanowski died on the busy dual carriageway. The collision happened at approximately 9.50pm on Tuesday, July 28, between the Pensarn – commonly known as the PC World – roundabout and the Abergwili roundabout. The stretch forms part of the main route used by motorists travelling between Pembrokeshire, west Carmarthenshire and Carmarthen’s principal shopping areas. Police initially received a report raising concerns for the safety of a pedestrian seen on the carriageway. Further reports indicated that several vehicles had collided with the man before officers responding to that report arrived. A marked Dyfed-Powys Police vehicle, which was already on
routine patrol in the area and was not responding to the original call, was also reported to have collided with him. Mr Trojanowski, who was from the Merthyr Tydfil area, was pronounced dead at the scene. Dyfed-Powys Police subsequently made a mandatory referral to the IOPC because of the involvement of the patrol vehicle. However, following an assessment of the referral, the watchdog decided that the circumstances did not require
Haverfordwest man admits stalking former partner despite restraining order A HAVERFORDWEST man has admitted stalking his former partner and breaching a restraining order imposed following an earlier domestic violence conviction. Graeme Berry, 40, of City Road, Haverfordwest, initially denied stalking the woman when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates last Tuesday. However, when he returned to court this week by video link from Swansea Prison, he changed his plea to guilty. Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told the court that Berry repeatedly followed and approached his former partner as she attempted to go about her business in Haverfordwest town centre. His behaviour took place despite a restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with the woman. On one occasion, Berry approached her car while it was parked at McDonald’s in Haverfordwest and attempted to gain entry by trying the door handle. On another occasion, Berry falsely told police officers that the woman had a dead baby beneath her stairs. “This was naturally extremely distressing for her,” Ms Vaughan told the court. She said the woman had been too frightened to report Berry’s harassment to police, but his behaviour had reached the point where she felt she had no alternative. Berry pleaded guilty to stalking the
woman and breaching the restraining order. Defence solicitor Michael Kelleher urged magistrates to release Berry on bail, telling the court that he would comply with any curfew conditions imposed. However, following a short adjournment, magistrates remanded Berry in custody while an all-options probation report is prepared. He will be sentenced on August 25.
an independent IOPC investigation. An IOPC spokesperson said: “We received a mandatory referral from Dyfed-Powys Police on 29 July 2026, in relation to a collision on the A40, in which a man, aged in his 40s, sadly died. “We carefully assessed the referral and we determined that, although there was police contact with the man, there was a lack of evidence to indicate that any police action or inaction caused or contributed his death.
“As such, we advised the force it can handle the matter in a manner it deems appropriate.” The decision was reached following an initial assessment of the referral rather than a full independent investigation. The IOPC has not publicly detailed the evidence it considered or the precise sequence in which the vehicles collided with Mr Trojanowski. Dyfed-Powys Police remains responsible for determining how the incident and the involvement of the marked patrol vehicle will now be handled. Mr Trojanowski’s family previously described him as “a loving husband and father” and “a wonderful and generous person with a good heart”. They added: “He will always be in our memories. As a family we ask for privacy during this difficult time.” Police have appealed for witnesses and particularly want to hear from motorists who were travelling on the A40 at approximately 9.50pm and may have relevant dashcam footage. Anyone with information can contact Dyfed-Powys Police online or by calling 101, quoting reference 442 of July 28.
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Strangulation charge against Welsh prison reform campaigner discontinued AN INTENTIONAL strangulation charge against prominent Welsh prison reform campaigner Zachery “Zack” Griffiths has been discontinued without a trial. Griffiths, aged 34, of Golygfor, Llanelli, had been due to stand trial at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court at 2pm on Wednesday (August 12). He had denied an allegation that he intentionally strangled a woman at Whitland on June 28, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015. The official court register issued following the hearing records the outcome simply as “discontinued”. Griffiths subsequently contacted Llanelli Magistrates’ Court seeking confirmation that the trial had not taken place. A court official replied: “I can confirm that the offence for intentional strangulation was discontinued.” The court has not provided a reason for the decision. The charge was discontinued rather than determined following a trial, meaning no finding of guilt was made on that allegation. Separate offences remain before court The same court register records that Griffiths entered guilty or indicated guilty pleas on June 30 to six other offences arising from incidents at Whitland between June 26 and June 28. These comprised assaulting a woman by beating, damaging her mobile phone and glasses, threatening to
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damage her Mercedes car, and two assaults by beating on police officers acting as emergency workers. However, the register also states that Griffiths has been remanded on conditional bail to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 27, for an application to vacate guilty plea. Those matters therefore remain
before the court and Griffiths has not yet been sentenced. His bail conditions include a daily curfew between 7pm and 7am, a requirement to live at his Llanelli address, an exclusion from Whitland and a prohibition on contacting the complainant directly or indirectly. Prominent prison campaigner Griffiths is the founder of the HMP Prisons Justice Group UK, which campaigns for greater transparency and reform across the prison system. A former prisoner at HMP Parc, he
has helped organise demonstrations and has spoken publicly about deaths in custody, drugs, mental health provision, alleged corruption and the treatment of prisoners at the privately operated Bridgend jail. His campaigning has attracted support from former inmates and prisoners’ families and has featured in national coverage of conditions within the prison system. The remaining proceedings are scheduled to continue at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on August 27.
Person reported in difficulty sparks early-morning Tenby lifeboat launch TENBY’S inshore lifeboat was launched in the early hours of Thursday (August 13) following reports that a person may have been in difficulty in the water off South Beach. Both of the town’s RNLI lifeboats were initially requested to launch at around 1:00am after HM Coastguard received a 999 call raising concern for someone in the sea. The inshore lifeboat launched within minutes and its volunteer crew quickly
arrived at the scene. They spoke to the person who had made the emergency call and were told that the individual was safely out of the water and had made their way up the beach. With nobody else reported to be in difficulty, the launch of Tenby’s all-weather lifeboat was cancelled. The inshore lifeboat then returned to station, where it was made ready for its next service.
Early-morning lifeboat callout ends safely after person found on beach
AN EARLY-MORNING emergency response was launched at
Freshwater West following reports of a person in the water.
Angle RNLI’s volunteer crew was tasked at around 4.00am on Thursday (August 13), alongside St Govan’s and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Teams. The lifeboat crew immediately began preparing to launch, while Coastguard teams responded to assist with the search from the shore. However, the incident was brought to a safe conclusion when the missing person was located on the beach. The Coastguard confirmed that they were safe and well, allowing the
lifeboat launch to be cancelled and the emergency teams to stand down. No further assistance was required. Angle Lifeboat Station’s volunteer crews provide a round-the-clock search-and-rescue service, covering the busy Milford Haven Waterway and surrounding coastline. The RNLI advises anyone who sees a person in difficulty at the coast not to attempt a rescue themselves. People should alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
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Six points for driver after police repeatedly lost sight of car on A40 A MOTORIST has received six penalty points after police repeatedly lost sight of his car while attempting to catch up with it on roads around Haverfordwest. Thomas Hayes, aged 20, of West Lane Close, Keeston, changed his plea to guilty when he appeared for trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Aug 10). The offence took place during a series of encounters with police between Boxing Day and the early hours of December 27 last year. At approximately 10.00pm, officers parked near the junction of Narberth Road saw a white Volkswagen Scirocco travelling westbound along the A40. The car appeared to be exceeding the speed limit, but officers were unable to locate it after attempting to follow because of other traffic. At around midnight, officers saw the same vehicle travelling at speed in the opposite direction near Fishguard Road. They turned around and attempted to catch up but again lost sight of it. Shortly before 1.00am, police encountered the Scirocco for a third time on Freemen’s Way. The court register states that the car
Tipper truck driver banned after drugdriving at more than twice legal limit A TIPPER truck driver has been banned from the roads for three years after sharing a cannabis joint with a friend before turning up for work at more than twice the legal drug-driving limit. Scott George McDougall, 24, was stopped by police at around 8.30am on February 1 while driving a Ford Transit tipper along Bridge Meadow Lane, Haverfordwest. “Police pulled the vehicle over as they were concerned at the way in which it had been loaded,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week. “The load seemed to be higher than it should have been and had no tarpaulin.” When officers spoke to McDougall, they could smell cannabis coming from the vehicle. A subsequent blood test showed that he had 5.1mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol — the principal psychoactive ingredient in cannabis — per litre of blood. The legal limit is 2mcg. Ms Vaughan said other drugs were also detected in McDougall’s system, although these were below the legal drug-driving limits. McDougall, of Merville Terrace, Falkirk, Scotland, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and using a tipper truck with an insecure load likely to cause danger.
Defending, solicitor Jess Hill said McDougall was working for a highway maintenance department at the time. “Shifts can be gruelling and fast-paced,” she said. “This was a Sunday morning when the roads can be quiet. However, he accepts that the vehicle hadn’t been loaded properly and admits he’d made the stupid mistake of sharing a spliff with his mate.” McDougall was ordered to pay a total of £3,854, comprising fines of £2,692, a £1,077 victim surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs. Because of a previous drug-driving conviction, he was also disqualified from driving for three years.
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negotiated a sharp bend on the wrong side of the road, with its two offside wheels crossing solid white lines into the officers’ lane. Police turned around, activated their blue lights and attempted to stop the vehicle, but once again lost sight of it. Officers had obtained only part of the registration number, but checks using police camera systems identified the vehicle. It was eventually located at a filling station in Johnston at approximately 1.35am. Hayes was fined £259 and received six penalty points for careless driving. He was also ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs and a £196 surcharge. He had previously admitted using the car with a damaged front nearside tyre and a noticeably deflated rear nearside tyre. A further £230 fine was imposed for the underinflated tyre, while no separate penalty was imposed for the other tyre offence. The financial penalties recorded in the case total £935, to be paid at £40 a month.
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Historic Haverfordwest venue to reopen as new Masonic Series launches
ONE of Haverfordwest’s bestknown entertainment venues is preparing to open its doors once again with the launch of a new programme of live music and community events. The historic Masonic building will reopen on Saturday (Aug 15) as part of Haverfordwest Carnival, marking the beginning of what organisers hope will become a new era for the landmark venue. From 11:00am, visitors will be able to enjoy live music, DJs and a fully licensed bar inside a building remembered by generations of Pembrokeshire residents as the home of RJ’s, Matisse and Reload. The opening coincides with the launch of the Masonic Series, a new programme of entertainment and community events led by Toby Ellis, Alex Robertson and Steve Bartram. The three organisers, who are associated with Pure West Radio and a number of community events across Pembrokeshire, say the project will build on the success of the Parkhouse Series. Their aim is to bring professionally managed live events back to the building while creating opportunities for local promoters, performers, DJs and producers. Organisers say collaboration will be
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central to the venture, with plans to work alongside established figures from Pembrokeshire’s entertainment industry and provide a platform for new and emerging talent. The project also has a longer-term ambition to establish the Academia, an initiative intended to support the next generation of DJs, musicians, producers, performers and other creatives. It is hoped that participants will eventually be able to learn from industry professionals, develop practical skills and gain first-hand experience of working within the live entertainment sector. Proceeds and momentum generated through Masonic Series events will New chapter: The team behind the Masonic Series outside the landmark Haverfordwest building (Pic: Pure West Radio) help move those plans forward. The building occupies a special purchase of the property made the term plans for the venue are expected place in Haverfordwest’s social latest revival possible. over the coming weeks. history, having hosted countless For now, Saturday’s Carnival Day They said his investment had nights out and live events under safeguarded one of the town’s most opening will offer the public its first several different names. Its reopening recognisable buildings and created an opportunity to step back inside and is expected to stir memories among opportunity for it to become a hub for see the beginning of the building’s those who frequented the venue music, entertainment and community latest chapter. during its various incarnations. The Masonic building will be open activity once again. The organisers have also from 11:00am on Saturday, August Further announcements about acknowledged the role of building the first Masonic Series events, 15, with live music, DJs and a fully owner Malvin Mathias, whose participating partners and the longer- licensed bar.
Hakin man given final chance after breaching bail curfew twice A HAKIN man has been warned that further breaches could leave magistrates with little choice but to remand him in custody after he broke his bail curfew twice. Jamie Clews, 38, is required to remain at his home between 8pm and 6.30am each day under conditions imposed by the court. However, on August 8, he breached the curfew on two occasions — once for six minutes and 34 seconds and again for nine minutes and 20 seconds. Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week that it was Clews’ third breach. “The last one took place in February, so there has been a degree of compliance, but it needs to be made clear to him that this simply can’t go on,” she said. Clews, of Groninger House, Wellington
Road, Hakin, was represented by solicitor James Bell, who stressed that both breaches were brief. “He was away for very short periods — one lasting nine minutes and the other seven minutes — so this is not overly severe,” he said. “But nevertheless, it’s still a breach. “He fully understands that if another breach occurs, the court’s options would be far more limited.” After considering the mitigation, magistrates agreed that Clews could remain on conditional bail ahead of his next appearance at Swansea Crown Court on September 11. His bail conditions require him to live at Groninger House and observe the daily curfew. He must not enter Freemans View, Haverfordwest, or contact witnesses either directly or indirectly.
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Pembrokeshire breeder denies welfare charges involving 23 horses A PEMBROKESHIRE horse breeder has denied four animal welfare charges relating to 23 horses kept at a stud near Puncheston. Rachel Roberts, 60, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday accused of causing unnecessary suffering to 12 horses and failing to meet the welfare needs of a further 11. The RSPCA alleges that horses at Green Acres Stud, also known as Penlan Oleu, were kept in “very poor condition”. Prosecutor Lindy Meyer told the court that several animals had extremely low body condition scores when examined. “One of the horses scored just one out of nine and another 1.5 out of nine,” she said. The court heard that another horse was found to have a chronic bone infection that required surgery. Roberts is accused of causing unnecessary suffering to ten horses by failing to address the reasons for their poor body condition. She is also charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a bay Shetland pony affected by Cushing’s disease and laminitis, and to a bay mare suffering from a chronic bone infection to its head.
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A fourth charge alleges that Roberts failed to meet the welfare needs of 11 horses by providing a suitable environment and adequate diet,
Bus driver feared for passengers A BUS driver became concerned for the safety of his passengers after seeing a man repeatedly making threatening gestures towards his vehicle as it travelled along the A487 at Newport. Police were called on Sunday, July 26, and found Liam Matthews, 41, lying in a field close to the main road. “They tried waking him, as he was clearly under the influence of either drink or drugs, but he became aggressive and started shouting nonsense at them,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week. Matthews, of Holloway, Haverfordwest,
pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place. His solicitor, James Bell, told magistrates that Matthews was ashamed of his behaviour. “He’d been sober for a significant period prior to this incident but fell off the wagon on the date of the offence due to the loss of his employment,” he said. “His mental health was deteriorating at the time, but since this incident he’s been abstinent from alcohol.” Matthews was fined £40 and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £16 victim surcharge.
protecting them from pain, suffering, injury and disease, and arranging appropriate farrier care. The alleged offences are said to have taken place between December 12, 2025, and January 31, 2026. Roberts denies all four charges.
A case management hearing will take place before District Judge Mark Layton on September 10, ahead of a trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court. Roberts was released on unconditional bail.
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Too few probation assessments sufficiently focused on public safety the Dyfed Powys Probation Delivery Unit. The inspection found: • • • •
Just 40% of assessments focused sufficiently on keeping other people safe 44% of the implementation and delivery of services effectively supported public safety 47% of case reviews focused sufficiently on protecting others Planning performed better, but was still judged sufficient in only 64% of cases
Almost half of the cases inspected — 44% — involved people classified as posing a high or very high risk of serious harm. Domestic abuse warning signs missed ONLY four in ten probation assessments examined in Wales focused sufficiently on keeping other people safe, according to a new inspection report. HM Inspectorate of Probation found that public protection work was “not yet consistently good enough”, despite
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strong leadership and evidence that recent reforms were beginning to deliver improvements. Inspectors examined 55 cases across Wales, including work undertaken by
Inspectors found persistent weaknesses in the way risks were analysed. Domestic abuse histories were not always fully explored, particularly where offending involved coercive or controlling behaviour. Practitioners also failed consistently to consider the impact on children or identify patterns of behaviour across different cases and relationships. The report says opportunities to identify multiple or “dispersed” potential victims were sometimes missed. Probation staff did not always act on real-time reports of incidents received from police, while some practitioners were described as complacent about the need to seek further information. Although access to police intelligence had improved since the previous inspection, information obtained was not always properly used to safeguard victims. Relationships with children’s services were also found to be less developed than those with police. Inspectors identified gaps in the mutual understanding of professional roles, responsibilities and assessment processes.
Improvements under way The report nevertheless recognises significant improvements since Wales was last inspected in 2025. Planning was described as a clear strength, with practitioners producing more focused risk-management plans. Access to information from police had improved, while multiagency arrangements for managing serious offenders were largely working effectively. Inspectors praised the region’s leadership, describing it as visible, collaborative and focused on improvement. The report also highlights a pilot scheme in Dyfed Powys involving progression panels for probation services officers. Inspectors said the scheme combined professional development with greater accountability. Work involving people released from custody was generally managed more effectively than community cases. The region had also reduced recalls to prison by around a third following greater scrutiny and improved discussion of proposed recall decisions. Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, said: “We found a region with clear ambition, strong leadership and a coherent vision for improvement. “However, these improvements were not yet translating consistently into effective practice. Assessment remained too variable and, in too many cases, practitioners were not analysing information with sufficient depth.” He added: “A sustained focus on these areas will be essential if the region is to realise its ambition of delivering consistently high-quality work to keep people safe.” Six recommendations issued The Inspectorate has made six recommendations, including calls for the Wales region to: •
Staff feeling overwhelmed
•
Staffing remained another concern, with 89% of probation officer posts and 84% of senior probation officer posts filled. Inspectors said vacancies, sickness and lengthy vetting delays continued to affect workloads. Many practitioners reported feeling overwhelmed, which was affecting their ability to manage complex cases consistently. Some newly recruited staff had reportedly taken jobs elsewhere because they could not afford to wait for their security vetting to be completed. Average caseloads stood at almost 32 cases for probation officers and 41 for senior probation officers, excluding trainee staff.
• •
Improve the management of domestic abuse and childsafeguarding risks Strengthen practitioners’ analytical skills and professional curiosity Improve operational working with police and children’s social services Monitor more closely the quality of sentence-management work
HM Prison and Probation Service has also been urged to develop a consistent national system for sharing information with police and children’s services, and to reduce recruitment and vetting delays. The Wales probation region covers Dyfed Powys, Swansea Neath Port Talbot, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Cardiff and the Vale, Gwent and North Wales. At the time the inspection was announced, it was supervising 10,686 people in custody or in the community.
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Engineering firm seeks new workshop after demolition of unsafe building A CALL to approve the expansion of a Pembrokeshire specialist engineering business with the demolition of a workshop for “health and safety reasons” has been submitted. In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Hywel Dyer of Rhyal Engineering Ltd, through agent Carl Bentley Architectural Services, seeks permission for the demolition of an existing workshop-storage building and construction of a new fabrication workshop to the rear of unit 8 Thornton Industrial estate, Milford Haven. A supporting statement accompanying the application says: “Rhyal Engineering is a UK market leading specialist in the design, construction and refurbishment of large diameter, field erected storage tanks and vessels. “The company also services the mechanical engineering sector, covering general steelwork and pipe fabrication and installation. “Operating across a wide range of business sectors including oil and gas, nuclear and renewables. The company operates from its main site at Milford Haven, which has large scale fabrication workshops designed to facilitate the handling of all mechanical requirements. “They offer a complete design and build solution for all types of storage tank, covering all areas of the UK, Ireland and overseas. The business has an established reputation for successful completion of an extensive range of storage tank projects, configurations and services covering new builds, maintenance, and upgrades.” It adds: “The business is looking to expand and diversify its business locally and nationally for the fabrication and supply of metal components for several sectors within the floating offshore wind
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and renewables/oil refineries/natural and LPG gas refineries etc. “The proposed fabrication workshop will enable the applicant to expand their fabrication facilities at their Milford Haven site, grow their business, employ additional local personnel to help meet the ever increasing local and national demand for their services.” It says Rhyal Engineering currently employs 110 workers, 28 of which are located at the main site in Thornton, with others at sites including Esso, Fawley; Valero, Pembroke; and South Hook LNG, the applicants proposing to employ an extra eight workers once the fabrication workshop is completed.
Man denies forcing woman to engage in sexual activity A FISHGUARD man accused of forcing a woman onto a sofa, “dry humping” her and making her touch his penis will face proceedings at Swansea Crown Court. Liam Mayhew, 36, of Fishguard, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates this week charged with two counts of causing a woman aged 16 or over to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity without consent. Both charges allege that he made the woman touch his penis, knowing that she did not consent. Mayhew also denies assaulting the same woman and causing her actual bodily harm. All three alleged offences are said to have taken place in Fishguard on October 19, 2025. “The woman is frightened of the defendant,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told the court. “He keeps coming to her property and,
on this particular day, he forced her down onto the sofa and dry humped her. “He then tried to force his tongue into her mouth and bit her neck before taking his trousers down, making her feel obliged to touch his penis.” Magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Swansea Crown Court, where Mayhew is due to appear on September 11. He was released on conditional bail and must not contact the complainant or enter the street where she lives.
Of the scheme itself, it adds: “The existing workshop/storage building was completely demolished on Health & Safety grounds due to the buildings very poor condition during April-May 2026. All building waste material was removed from the site by certified disposal / demolition company and materials recycled wherever possible. “Demolition of the existing workshop/ storage building was also required to allow the proposed fabrication workshop
to be constructed. “This building was in a very poor condition/beyond repair. This building was not fit for the applicant’s needs and could not be extended/altered or refurbished to make it suitable for the applicant’s operational requirements as a fabrication workshop, therefore this building had to be demolished due to its condition and to allow this proposed fabrication workshop to be constructed at this site.” The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.
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‘Basics before Star Wars’: Milford Haven Reform councillor challenges £100k grant
Scott Thorley says essential services should come first after Welsh-language Star Wars receives high-profile Eisteddfod launch — while supporters argue the project is an investment in culture, language and Wales’ creative economy JUST DAYS after Stormtroopers descended on the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire and First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth helped launch the first Welsh-language version of Star Wars, the project has become the unlikely centre of a political battle over public spending. Pembrokeshire’s only Reform UK county councillor, Scott Thorley, has questioned the Welsh Government’s £100,000 contribution towards Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, arguing that healthcare, public transport, NHS dentistry and support for unpaid carers should take priority over projects he regards as non-essential. His intervention has sparked a fierce debate online, with some residents backing his call to get “the basics” right first, while others accuse him of presenting a false choice between essential services and investment in Welsh culture and the creative industries. It is an argument with particular resonance for Cllr Thorley. When he won the Hakin by-election in March, becoming Reform UK’s first county councillor in Pembrokeshire, one of his central messages was that residents wanted basic local services delivered properly. Five months later, that same principle is at the heart of his criticism of one of the Eisteddfod’s most eye-catching announcements. Stormtroopers on the Maes The Welsh version of George Lucas’s 1977 classic was unveiled during the National Eisteddfod at Garreg Las, with Stormtroopers appearing on the Maes and the First Minister giving the project an enthusiastic public backing. The film is being produced by Lucasfilm and Disney in collaboration with S4C and the Welsh Government through Creative Wales, and is expected to be shown on S4C from Christmas Day ahead of the original film’s 50th anniversary in 2027. The Welsh Government has contributed £100,000 through Creative Wales towards the production. For Cllr Thorley, that figure raised a straightforward question of priorities. In his first intervention, he wrote: “Plaid are going to spend £100,000 on a dubbed version of Star Wars. I’m sure all the unpaid carers who get nothing are overjoyed by this. “They sold themselves as the ‘New
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Hope’ during the election but turns out they’re the same phantom menace.” The post attracted a substantial response, ranging from enthusiastic support to accusations that the Reform councillor was using a cultural project to fuel an unnecessary political divide. Thorley subsequently returned to the subject — and doubled down. He wrote: “If we can’t afford: “A fully functioning healthcare system; decent public transport; proper support for unpaid carers; NHS dentists; and the rest of the basics… “…then we can’t afford £100,000 on a Welsh-dubbed Star Wars. “Champagne socialists do my head in. Completely detached from the reality most people in Wales are living.” ‘Add all the waste together’ Critics challenged Thorley on the suggestion that money spent on culture could simply be redirected towards the NHS or other frontline services. One told him that questioning whether £100,000 represented value for money was legitimate, but argued that governments also had responsibilities towards culture, sport, tourism, heritage, language and the arts. Thorley replied that his argument was not that £100,000 alone would solve Wales’ problems. “It’s an example of waste by the government,” he said. “If you added all the waste it would be millions, if that millions was better spent it could help the people that desperately need it.” That distinction is important.
Thorley’s case is not really that cancelling one Welsh-language film dub would suddenly provide Wales with a fully functioning NHS. His argument is that relatively small government spending decisions accumulate, and that the threshold for spending taxpayers’ money on nonessential projects should be much higher while essential public services remain under pressure. Supporters responding to his post agreed. One wrote: “The NHS/Education etc HAVE to come first. Only then can money be allocated to the ‘nice to have’ projects.” Others argued that £100,000 may be small in the context of the Welsh Government’s overall budget, but that the same justification could be made for hundreds of individual projects. Opponents, however, said a country which funded nothing beyond hospitals, roads and statutory services would quickly lose much of its culture, broadcasting, sport and heritage — sectors which themselves employ people and generate economic activity. Not simply a government vanity project There is also an important piece of context which has sometimes been lost in the argument. The Welsh Government did not simply decide, on its own initiative, to commission a Welsh translation of an old Hollywood film. Lucasfilm approached S4C about producing a Welsh-language version, following similar projects which have brought Star Wars films to indigenouslanguage audiences elsewhere. That makes the proposition rather
different from the impression that ministers simply decided to spend £100,000 dubbing a favourite film for their own enjoyment. Supporters argue that associating Welsh with one of the most recognisable entertainment brands in the world has cultural value far beyond a single television broadcast. S4C also hopes the project can attract viewers who may not ordinarily watch Welsh-language programming and strengthen the broadcaster’s ability to secure major international partners for future productions. The question remains, however, whether those potential benefits justify £100,000 of taxpayers’ money. An A-list Welsh cast The production has attracted some of Wales’ biggest acting names Matthew Rhys voices Han Solo, Rhys Ifans takes the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Aimee-Ffion Edwards voices Princess Leia, Mark Lewis Jones becomes Darth Vader and Osian Morgan plays Luke Skywalker. The First Minister has spoken warmly about the project, describing Star Wars as one of the most influential films of his childhood and welcoming the opportunity to hear the story performed in Welsh by leading Welsh talent. That enthusiasm has now become part of the political contrast. For the Welsh Government and supporters of the project, the Eisteddfod launch showed a confident Wales placing its language alongside one of the world’s biggest cultural brands. For Thorley and those who agree with him, pictures of politicians celebrating with Stormtroopers while public services remain under pressure illustrate precisely the problem they are trying to highlight. What about unpaid carers? Thorley’s reference to unpaid carers has been one of the most emotive parts of the debate. Thousands of families across Wales provide unpaid care which, if delivered entirely through the state, would cost public services enormous sums. It would, however, be wrong to suggest that the Welsh Government provides no support for carers. The government has separately
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committed £15.75 million over three years to continue the Carers Support Fund and National Short Breaks Scheme, providing practical support, respite and emergency financial assistance to unpaid carers. That does not mean every carer receives the help they need, nor does it invalidate Thorley’s wider argument about priorities. But it does demonstrate why comparisons between different areas of public spending are rarely as straightforward as taking £100,000 from one project and handing it directly to another. The Star Wars contribution comes through Creative Wales, whose purpose is to support and grow Wales’ film, television, music, games and wider creative industries. The government’s argument is that spending in those sectors is itself investment — supporting employment, attracting productions to Wales and generating economic activity. Thorley’s response is effectively that government ultimately decides how much money goes into each budget in the first place, and opposition politicians are entitled to argue that the balance is wrong. A particularly Pembrokeshire story The row also has an unusual local dimension. Pembrokeshire’s connection with
Star Wars stretches back almost half a century. A full-size Millennium Falcon was secretly constructed inside an aircraft hangar at Pembroke Dock in 1979 for The Empire Strikes Back. Lucasfilm co-president Lynwen Brennan was born and raised in Pembrokeshire and went on to build a career which took her to the top of one of Hollywood’s most famous studios. The announcement of the first Welshlanguage version of Star Wars at a Pembrokeshire National Eisteddfod therefore carried particular significance. It has also ensured that the political argument which followed has landed directly in the county.
Two rescued after being cut off by tide TWO people were brought safely to shore after becoming cut off by the tide at Nolton Haven on Sunday evening (Aug 2). The volunteer crew of Little and Broad Haven RNLI was paged at 7.51pm following reports that two people were stranded on the south side of the bay. The lifeboat launched and made its way to the casualties, who were safely recovered and brought back to shore. Broad Haven Coastguard Rescue Team was also at the scene to provide
further assistance if required. Both casualties were reported to be uninjured and in good spirits following the rescue. With the incident successfully concluded, the lifeboat crew returned to station, where the boat was refuelled and washed down ready for its next service. Little and Broad Haven RNLI described the rescue as a “successful joint agency operation.”
The real £100,000 question Strip away the Stormtroopers, Star Wars jokes and some of the angrier social media exchanges, and the disagreement raises a serious question about government. It is not whether £100,000 could fix the Welsh NHS. It plainly could not. Nor does the fact that Creative Wales has a budget mean every project funded from it should automatically escape scrutiny. The real question is where government should draw the line when money is
tight. Should Wales continue spending comparatively modest sums on culture, the Welsh language and creative industries because those things have economic and social value of their own? Or, as Cllr Thorley argues, should government apply a much tougher test to such expenditure until the services people rely upon every day are working better? There is also a test which may ultimately be more useful than the political argument. After Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd reaches screens, taxpayers should be able to ask what their £100,000 actually achieved: how many people watched it, whether it reached new Welsh speakers and learners, how much work and spending it generated in Wales, and whether it helped secure further productions or investment. If those benefits can be demonstrated, supporters will argue that £100,000 was money well spent. If they cannot, Thorley’s criticism will carry considerably more weight. For now, one of the most colourful moments of the Pembrokeshire Eisteddfod has unexpectedly exposed a much wider political fault line. A film set in a galaxy far, far away has started a very Welsh argument about priorities much closer to home.
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Warning after water users surround dolphin and calf
WATER users have been warned to remain at least 100 metres from dolphins in Cardigan Bay after people reportedly surrounded a mother and her calf in New Quay harbour. Ceredigion Harbour Authority has issued the safety warning to paddleboarders, kayakers, swimmers and others following several recent close encounters.
Cardigan Bay is home to one of the UK’s most important populations of bottlenose dolphins, attracting thousands of residents and visitors hoping to see the animals in the wild each year. However, officials said approaching or surrounding dolphins can cause considerable stress and disrupt essential behaviours, including feeding, resting and caring for young
calves. Dolphins are protected by wildlife legislation, and deliberately disturbing them is a criminal offence. Melanie Heath, Cardigan Bay Marine Protected Area Officer, said people should remember that bottlenose dolphins are large and powerful wild animals. She said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have dolphins regularly visiting and living in Ceredigion, and seeing them is often a highlight for those enjoying our coastline. “While we understand the excitement that comes with such encounters, this is a dangerous situation. Dolphins are big, powerful animals, up to four
metres long, and apex predators. “A female with a calf is particularly vulnerable to disturbance and may become aggressive to protect her calf. “There have been incidents around the UK of bottlenose dolphins attacking humans who are in too close proximity by ramming, tail-thrashing or attempting to hold them under the water. “To keep both people and dolphins safe, we need everyone to give them space and remain at least 100 metres – roughly the length of a football pitch – away.” Water users are being urged not to approach, follow or attempt to interact with dolphins. Ms Heath added: “Move away if you are already in the water, and do not enter the water from the beach to get a closer view.” The Harbour Authority is encouraging everyone visiting the coast to follow the Marine Code, which promotes safe and responsible behaviour around marine wildlife. Anyone witnessing persistent disturbance of dolphins or other marine animals should report it to the police Rural Crime Team by calling 101. Witnesses are asked, where possible, to provide photographs or video footage together with the location, date and time of the incident. The authority said its message was simple: enjoy Cardigan Bay’s wildlife, but give dolphins the space they need to thrive.
Council and police confirm they are investigating after cat killed in Neyland
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has confirmed it is working with Dyfed-Powys Police following the reported killing of a 16-year-old cat in Neyland. The incident happened in the Harbour Close area after residents reported dogs roaming loose in the
early hours. The cat, described by neighbours as a much-loved and familiar presence on the street, was reportedly attacked and killed. Following enquiries from The Pembrokeshire Herald, the council confirmed that both local authority officers and police are now involved. A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Pembrokeshire County Council is aware of the incident and is currently working with Dyfed-Powys Police. “As investigations are continuing it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.” Residents have claimed the dogs had been seen loose in the area previously, with several people also raising concerns about their behaviour around other animals. The Herald has approached DyfedPowys Police for further details on the nature of its investigation.
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Pembrokeshire partnership bids for share of £4.5m Tour de France legacy fund Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that a joint expression of interest has been submitted— but the proposed locations, infrastructure and funding requested have not yet been disclosed
PEMBROKESHIRE has entered the race for a share of a £4.5 million Welsh Government fund intended to create a lasting cycling legacy from the 2027 Tour de France. Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed that it has submitted an Expression of Interest to the Brilliant Basics: Croeso i Feicwyr scheme following questions from The Pembrokeshire Herald. The proposal is being developed jointly with Visit Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, the National Trust and Bluestone Wales Ltd. A council spokesperson said: “Pembrokeshire County Council, in a joint working project with Visit Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, National Trust and Bluestone Wales Ltd, has submitted an Expression of Interest to the Brilliant Basics: Croeso i Feicwyr scheme. “Further engagement with stakeholders is planned to explore opportunities for wider participation and collaboration as the project develops. “Full details of the proposal will be confirmed at the next stage of the funding process. Subject to a successful outcome, additional information on the project and its delivery arrangements will be made available.” The response confirms that Pembrokeshire met the initial Expression of Interest deadline and remains in contention for funding. However, the council has not disclosed whether one or several projects have been submitted, which communities and cycling routes are involved, what facilities are proposed or how much money is being sought. It has also not revealed the estimated total project cost, the source of the required match funding or the expected economic benefit to local communities and businesses. Up to £100,000 available per project The Croeso i Feicwyr fund is open to local authorities and national park authorities, which are encouraged to include projects involving charities, community groups and other not-forprofit organisations. Applicants can seek up to £100,000 for each project, with authorities permitted to submit more than one Expression of Interest. The grant can cover up to 80 per cent of eligible capital expenditure, meaning the remaining project costs must be met from other funding. Possible schemes include destination cycling hubs and smaller micro-hubs, secure cycle parking and storage, e-bike
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charging points, maintenance stands, bike-washing facilities, drinking-water provision, cycle hire, waymarking and improved signs. Projects must be connected to recognised cycling routes and strategic visitor destinations. They must also demonstrate benefits for tourism businesses, visitors and local residents. The involvement of Visit Pembrokeshire, the National Park Authority, National Trust and Bluestone suggests that the bid is being developed as a wider visitoreconomy project rather than solely as an active-travel scheme. However, the partnership has not yet identified publicly which of Pembrokeshire’s established routes, attractions or tourism centres would benefit. The county already has a considerable cycling offer, including the Brunel Trail between Haverfordwest, Johnston and Neyland, sections of National Cycle Network Route 4 and the routes used by the annual Tour of Pembrokeshire sportive. Pembrokeshire County Council also introduced a public e-bike scheme in Haverfordwest, Fishguard, Goodwick and Tenby in 2024 and has previously said that officers are exploring expansion into additional locations. Conflicting official deadlines Questions remain over contradictory application dates published by the Welsh Government. The original Welsh Government announcement says applications opened
on August 10 and will close at 1pm on September 25. However, the official Visit Wales funding information says expressions of interest closed at 1pm on August 7.
The accompanying guidance says successful applicants will proceed to a full application stage, beginning from August 24 and closing on October 2. Pembrokeshire County Council’s confirmation that it has already submitted an Expression of Interest indicates that it followed the earlier August 7 timetable. The Herald has asked the Welsh Government to explain the conflicting dates, confirm which application stage is currently active and clarify whether organisations which did not submit an Expression of Interest by August 7 are now excluded. The £4.5 million fund will provide £2 million during 2026–27 and a further £2.5 million in 2027–28. Although the Welsh stage of the Tour de France will run from Welshpool to Cardiff rather than through Pembrokeshire, the legacy funding is available for cycling projects across Wales. Further details of the Pembrokeshire proposal are expected if the joint Expression of Interest is approved for the next stage.
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Carmarthen recycling company accused of polluting brook Natural Resources Wales alleges unauthorised discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter into inland water A CARMARTHEN recycling company is facing court proceedings over an alleged unauthorised discharge into a local brook. Carmarthenshire Recycling and Environmental Services Ltd, based at Parc Pensarn, is being prosecuted by Natural Resources Wales. The charge alleges that, on or about October 9, 2025, the company caused a water discharge activity involving poisonous, noxious or polluting matter entering Tawelan Brook. Natural Resources Wales alleges that the discharge into the inland freshwater was not authorised by an environmental permit. The alleged offence is contrary
to regulations 12, 38 and 39 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. The case was called before District Judge Mark Layton at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Aug 6). The company was not present, but the court record states that solicitor Aled Owen, of HCR Law, attended on its behalf. Proceedings were adjourned at the request of the defence. The case is now due to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, October 8, at 10:00am. No plea has yet been recorded and the allegation remains to be determined by the court.
Voters urged to check details ahead of 2027 council elections
Pembrokeshire residents are being urged to check that their electoral registration details are correct ahead
of next year’s local council elections. The annual canvass, which is a legal requirement carried out by local
authorities across the UK, allows Pembrokeshire County Council to update the electoral register and identify residents who may not be correctly registered. Emails have already been sent to many households asking residents to check and confirm their details. Those who have not received an email should receive a letter within the next week. Recent home movers are particularly encouraged to respond, as electoral registration does not automatically transfer when someone changes address. People aged 16 and over can register to vote in Senedd and Welsh local government elections. This includes qualifying foreign citizens who are legally resident in Wales. Will Bramble, Electoral Registration
Officer at Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. “To make sure you don’t lose your say at elections, simply follow the instructions sent to you. “If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-tovote.” Responding to the canvass does not automatically register a person who is not already on the electoral roll. New residents and anyone registering for the first time must complete a separate voter registration application. Further information is available through the Pembrokeshire County Council and Electoral Commission websites.
Suspended jail term for Llangennech defendant who assaulted child A 21-YEAR-OLD from Llangennech has received a suspended prison sentence after admitting an assault on a child. Mia Freeman, of Llangennech, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Aug 6) for sentencing. Freeman had previously pleaded guilty to assault by beating following an incident in Llanelli on March 19. The court record described the incident as an “unprovoked attack of a serious nature” and said the child had been left fearful while going about their daily life. It also stated that Freeman had presented a number of claims about the nature of the attack which the court found to be unfounded. District Judge Mark Layton imposed a 12-week prison sentence,
suspended for 12 months. Freeman must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 days of rehabilitation activity under the direction of the probation service. She was also ordered to pay £200 compensation, £85 towards prosecution costs and a £154 victim surcharge. A restraining order prohibits Freeman from contacting or approaching the child, visiting any address where the child lives, or posting material online which refers to them. The order will remain in force until June 5, 2031. The court took Freeman’s guilty plea into account when passing sentence. A reporting restriction under Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 prevents the identification of the child.
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NEWS 31 A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
Congratulations to all the students!
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NEWS
A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
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Congratulations to all the students!
Oxford, Cambridge and Exeter are among the destinations secured by local learners, while others are beginning apprenticeships, entering employment or continuing their studies closer to home STUDENTS across Pembrokeshire have been celebrating after receiving their A-level, AS-level and vocational qualification results on Thursday (Aug 13). Results-day scenes were shared from schools and colleges across the county as learners discovered whether they had secured university places, apprenticeships and other opportunities following months of examinations and assessments. At Pembrokeshire College, more than 170 learners are preparing to continue their studies at universities across the UK, with destinations including Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, Exeter and the Vogue College of Fashion. Former A-level student Etienne Hole has secured a place at the University of Oxford to study History and English,
while mature learner Huw Davies is heading to the University of Cambridge to study Engineering. Further A-level successes include Cara Merriman, who will read Criminology at Cardiff University, and Noah Scott, who has secured a place at the University of Exeter to study Psychology. Other college students are progressing to Bristol, Southampton, Bath, Nottingham and Manchester, studying subjects ranging from law and engineering to paramedic science, marine biology and games development. Among the students pictured celebrating were Lottie Murray, who is heading to the University of Exeter to study English and Creative Writing, and Lewis Thompson, who will study Film and Television at the University of Reading. William Hogg is taking a different route into his chosen career after securing an apprenticeship with JCP Solicitors, highlighting the range of options available beyond the traditional university pathway. The college also reported strong results among its vocational learners,
with more than 70 diploma students progressing to university. Health and Social Care learner Tegan Reynolds will study Children’s Nursing at Swansea University, while Lilly Frost is heading to the University of Reading to study Psychology and Language Sciences. Other diploma students have secured places on courses including sports conditioning, medical engineering, theatre and film, primary education, conservation biology, radiotherapy, acting and zoology. Pembrokeshire College principal Dr Barry Walters said the results reflected the commitment and ambition of learners, as well as the support provided by teaching and support staff. He said: “This is a hugely exciting day for our learners and we are incredibly proud of everything they have achieved. “Behind every result is a story of commitment, perseverance and ambition. It has been wonderful to see so many of our learners achieve the outcomes they have worked so hard for. “Whether they are progressing to university, starting an apprenticeship, entering employment or taking another
exciting route towards their future, our learners have shown that there are many different ways to turn ambition into opportunity. “Today is about celebrating our learners and looking ahead to all that lies in store for them. We wish every one of them the very best for the future.” At Ysgol Greenhill in Tenby, students also gathered to receive their results, with photographs showing pupils celebrating together and proudly displaying their grades. The school community marked the achievements of its sixth-form learners as they prepared for their next steps, whether in higher education, training, employment or through a gap year. Teachers and support staff were on hand across the county throughout the morning to help pupils confirm university offers and discuss the options available where results differed from those expected. Pembrokeshire County Council congratulated all learners, describing results day as a significant milestone for young people and their families. Council chief executive Will Bramble said: “Today is first and foremost about
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celebrating the achievements of our young people. “Their results reflect a great deal of hard work, determination and resilience, supported by families, teachers and school staff across Pembrokeshire.” The council reminded learners that results day represented only one stage of their journey and that support remained available through schools for anyone needing advice about university, apprenticeships, employment or alternative courses. Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Cefin Campbell MS joined students at Pembrokeshire College in Haverfordwest, where he spoke to learners about their university destinations, apprenticeships, gap years and career plans.
He said: “Llongyfarchiadau, congratulations, to everyone receiving their results today. You should be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved. “Whether you’re heading to university, an apprenticeship, employment or exploring your next steps, plenty of exciting opportunities lie ahead. “I also want to recognise the unwavering support from teachers and education staff whose efforts have played a vital role in these learners’ achievements.” The Welsh Government said Wales had recorded increases at all the main A-level grade measures compared with last year, alongside a rise in A-level and AS-level entries.
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A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
Congratulations to all the students!
Across the UK, 9.6% of A-level entries received an A*, while 28.5% were graded A* or A. The proportion receiving at least a C increased to 78.4%, according to analysis of the 2026 results. The results arrived during another busy year for university admissions. Before results day, a record 333,460 UK 18-year-olds held at least one university or college offer, according to UCAS. For those who did not receive the grades they hoped for, schools and colleges have urged them not to panic or make rushed decisions. Learners can speak to teachers, careers advisers and university admissions teams about Clearing,
alternative courses, apprenticeships, resits or reviews of marking. Working Wales, part of Careers Wales, is also providing advice and support. Where a university place is at stake, requests for a priority review of marking must be submitted through the student’s school or college by Thursday, August 20. Standard review requests can be made until September 24. As celebrations continued across Pembrokeshire, the message from schools, the college and education leaders was that every result represented considerable work – and that university was only one of many routes towards a successful future.
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NEWS
A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
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Congratulations to all the students!
Top destinations for College students More than 170 learners are now preparing to move from the classrooms and workshops of Pembrokeshire College to the lecture halls of some of the UK’s most prestigious universities after celebrating outstanding results this summer. With destinations including Oxford and Cambridge, as well as Bristol, Durham, Exeter and the Vogue College of Fashion, these outstanding achievers will be studying everything from law and criminology to paramedic science, engineering, marine biology and games development. Learners were joined this morning by Deputy Minister Cefin Campbell MS, who spent time congratulating learners and talking to them about their exciting next steps, including university destinations, gap years and apprenticeships. The Deputy Minister commented: “Llongyfarchiadau, congratulations, to everyone receiving their results today. You should be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved. Whether you’re heading to university, an apprenticeship, employment or exploring your next steps, plenty of exciting opportunities lie ahead. I also want to recognise the unwavering support from teachers and education staff, whose efforts have played a vital role in these learners’ achievements. “If your results aren’t quite what you hoped for, remember they don’t define your future and it’s not the end of the road. There are lots of options open to you and support is available through Working Wales, part of Careers Wales, your school or college, to help you find the path that’s right for you. “Pob lwc and enjoy the rest of your summer.” Former A-level student Etienne
Lottie Murray: University of Exeter English and Creative Writing
Lewis Thompson University of Reading, Film and Television
William Hogg JPS Solicitors Apprenticeship
Hole will be taking up his place at the University of Oxford to read History and English, while mature learner Huw Davies is heading to the University of Cambridge to read Engineering. Further A-level successes include Cara Merriman, who is heading to Cardiff University to read Criminology, and Noah Scott, who will study Psychology at the University of Exeter. Further A-level students from the Sutton Trust 13/30 Group will also be heading to leading universities, including Bristol, Southampton, Bath, Nottingham and Manchester. Proving that the Diploma route is a credible alternative to A-levels, more than 70 Diploma students will be progressing to university, including Health and Social Care learner Tegan Reynolds, who is heading to Swansea University to read Nursing (Child), and fellow learner Lilly Frost, who will be
reading Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Reading. Fellow Diploma students will be taking up places across the UK to study a range of subjects, including Sports Conditioning, Medical Engineering, Theatre and Film, Primary Education, Conservation Biology, Radiotherapy, Acting and Zoology. Reflecting on this year’s results, College Principal Dr Barry Walters commented: “This is a hugely exciting day for our learners and we are incredibly proud of everything they have achieved. Behind every result is a story of commitment, perseverance and ambition. It has been wonderful to see so many of our learners achieve the outcomes they have worked so hard for. “Whether they are progressing to university, starting an apprenticeship, entering employment or taking another
exciting route towards their future, our learners have shown that there are many different ways to turn ambition into opportunity. We are delighted to see them taking their next steps with confidence and purpose. “Our learners’ achievements are also a reflection of the dedication of our teaching and support teams, who work tirelessly to help every individual recognise their potential and give them the encouragement and guidance they need to succeed. “Today is about celebrating our learners and looking ahead to all that lies in store for them. We wish every one of them the very best for the future and hope they will look back on their time with us with pride. We will certainly be proud to follow their journeys and celebrate their successes in the years ahead.”
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NEWS 35
A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
Congratulations to all the students!
A-Levels at St. Michael’s School, Llanelli It has been another outstanding year for A-Level results at St. Michael’s School, Llanelli. Our Year 13 pupils received their long-awaited results today, with the vast majority of pupils achieving their first-place university choice. 75.1% of grades achieved were A*A, 89.8% of grades were A*-B and 98%
of grades were A*-C. We are also thrilled to report that all pupils who applied to study Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry at university achieved their places, as did our pupils who applied to study at Oxbridge universities. Other prestigious universities that our pupils will go on to study at include: The University of Exeter,
UCL (University College London), The University of Edinburgh and The University of Warwick. Pupils will read a range of subjects such as Law, Engineering, Computer Science and Fashion. Our Headmaster Mr Benson Ferrari said: “Well done to this year’s Year 13 on their determination and effort
leading to these excellent results. We wish them well as they head off to universities up and down the land, to follow their career goals and achieve their plans. Congratulations also to Year 12 on their first year results, which create a strong foundation for the examinations next summer.”
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NEWS
A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
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Congratulations to all the students!
Pride at Ysgol Greenhill as pupils receive results PUPILS at Ysgol Greenhill are celebrating after receiving their A-level, AS and Level 3 results. The Tenby school said many had achieved their target grades across a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications, allowing them to progress to university, apprenticeships, training and employment. Headteacher David Haynes paid tribute to the hard work and determination shown by pupils throughout their sixth-form studies. He said: “Today is a day of immense pride for our entire school community. Our pupils have worked exceptionally hard and demonstrated outstanding commitment, perseverance and ambition. “These results reflect not only academic success, but also the resilience, character and determination of a remarkable group of young people. “They have embraced every opportunity available to them and made an invaluable contribution to the life of the school. We are immensely proud of everything they have achieved.” Mr Haynes also thanked the school’s teaching and support staff for helping pupils reach their potential. He said: “Their dedication, professionalism and care have enabled our pupils to thrive and achieve their very best. “Behind every successful pupil is a team of staff who have worked tirelessly to provide guidance, encouragement
and challenge, and I am extremely grateful for their efforts.” The school said it was delighted that so many pupils had secured destinations matching their ambitions. Mr Haynes added: “Whether progressing to university, apprenticeships, training or employment, we are confident they will continue to achieve great success and make a positive contribution to society. “They leave Ysgol Greenhill as capable, compassionate and ambitious young people, and we look forward to hearing about their future achievements.” The contribution of the school’s Sixth Form Leadership Team was also recognised, with head prefects Jem and Libby praised for serving as role models, supporting younger pupils and representing the school. Attention will now turn to the new academic year, with Lower Sixth pupils returning to begin their Upper Sixth studies on Wednesday, September 2. They will be welcomed back to a significantly refurbished Sixth Form Centre following a range of improvements completed during the summer. The school said the investment reflected its continuing commitment to providing high-quality facilities and an inspiring environment supporting academic achievement and personal development.
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WEDDINGS AND EVENTS 2025 & 2026
For information on our wedding packages or to book a meeting at the venue please email: jenna@nelsonmilford.com
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NEWS 39
A-LEVEL RESULTS 2026
Congratulations to all the students!
Year 11 pupils celebrate A* grades in A-level maths TWO Year 11 pupils at Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi have achieved A* grades in A-level mathematics—despite sitting the advanced qualification alongside their GCSE studies. Celyn and Sidak returned to school on Thursday (August 13) to collect their results following two years of dedicated independent study and specialist tuition. The school praised the pupils’ exceptional work ethic and thanked the staff and family members who supported them throughout the demanding programme. Stephen and Theresa from the Maths Support Programme were also thanked for providing bespoke sessions designed to help the pair fulfil their potential. A school spokesperson said: “Both boys have worked exceptionally hard, studying A-level maths alongside their GCSEs in Year 11. “Both achieved A* grades, and we are incredibly proud of them. Their work ethic and academic journey have been a privilege to be part of, and we cannot wait to see what they do next.” The achievement represents a remarkable academic milestone for the pupils, who completed a qualification normally taken by students two years further into their education.
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Urgent warning after youngsters seen climbing Haverfordwest rooftop
Cancer support centre appeals to parents amid fears someone could be seriously injured PARENTS have been urged to intervene after a group of young people were photographed climbing onto high ledges at a building in Haverfordwest today (Sunday, August 9). Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Cancer Support Centre issued an urgent public warning after the group was seen on the curved ledge of a large building beside a parking area used by people attending treatments. Pictures shared by the centre show several young people standing and moving along a narrow ledge several metres above the ground, while others appear to be climbing between adjoining structures. The centre alleged that objects were being thrown from the building and that some members of the group were smoking. In its appeal, the charity said: “Are these your children? Are you aware they are throwing missiles from this building? “Are you aware our patients park their cars here when attending treatments? Are you aware they are smoking?
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“Are you aware of the heights these children are climbing and jumping from? “Please stop them before there is an
accident. Losing a child is something you do not recover from.” Parents who recognise any of the young people have been asked to speak to them urgently before anyone is seriously injured or property is
damaged. Adam’s Bucketful of Hope, based in Dew Street, provides emotional support, activities and complementary services for cancer patients and their carers across Pembrokeshire.
Arrest warrant issued for woman accused of racially aggravated harassment A WARRANT without bail has been issued for a 57-year-old woman accused of racially or religiously aggravated harassment towards an on-duty police officer. Michelle Whelton is alleged to have harassed an officer identified in court as Rosario while he was responding
to an incident at Peregrine Close, Haverfordwest, on January 8. Whelton was due to appear before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, August 11. After she failed to attend the hearing, magistrates issued a warrant for her arrest without bail.
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More than one in four Welsh pupils persistently absent as rates rise again MORE than one in four pupils in Wales were persistently absent from school during the latest academic year, new figures have revealed. Welsh Government data covering September 2, 2025, to July 24, 2026 shows that 27.6% of pupils missed at least 10% of their possible school sessions. That was an increase from 26.3% over the equivalent period in 2024/25 and remained almost twice the prepandemic level of 14.7% recorded in 2018/19. Persistent absence includes both authorised and unauthorised absences. The figures are based on management information supplied by maintained schools and may be subject to revision. Children’s wellbeing specialists say there is no single explanation for the continuing problem, but believe Emotionally Based School Avoidance — commonly known as EBSA — may be contributing to the absences of some pupils. EBSA describes children and young people who struggle to attend school because it causes significant
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emotional distress, often connected to anxiety, sensory sensitivities, unmet additional learning needs or social pressures. Unlike truancy, it is not regarded as a deliberate decision to avoid education. Children experiencing EBSA may suffer panic attacks, intense anxiety or physical symptoms such as nausea when faced with attending school. Emma Davies, director of children’s wellbeing organisation Health is One and chair of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s Children, Young People and Families division, said the figures suggested many families were still struggling. She said: “Persistent absence has risen again this school year and remains far higher than it was before the pandemic, which is a reminder that many children and families are still struggling. “For some children, school can become associated with overwhelming anxiety or distress. What can look like refusal is often a sign that a child is
New public defibrillator installed at Pembroke boathouse A NEW public-access defibrillator has been installed outside the Paddle West boathouse in Pembroke, providing potentially life-saving equipment for residents and visitors. Morlec Electrical donated its time and equipment to complete the installation, while the protective cabinet was jointly funded by Paddle West and Dave Golding. The automated external defibrillator itself was funded following work by Cllr Gareth Jones and Pembroke Town Council.
Mounted on the front of the boathouse beneath Pembroke Castle, the unit has been registered with the Welsh Ambulance Service. In an emergency, callers should dial 999 and will be given the code needed to open the cabinet. The defibrillator currently carries adult pads, with paediatric pads expected to be added shortly. Paddle West described the project as “a great example of what a community can do when we work together”.
finding it difficult to cope. “Early support is crucial. The sooner concerns are recognised and understood, the more likely it is that children can receive the help they need before difficulties become entrenched.” Ms Davies urged parents to seek help as soon as they noticed their child becoming increasingly anxious about attending school. She added: “Many parents tell us they feel isolated and unsure where to
turn when attendance first becomes a concern. “Support is available, and with the right help many children can rebuild their confidence and successfully reengage with education.” Health is One works with children, families and schools affected by emotional wellbeing and attendance difficulties, including EBSA. Further information is available from the Health is One website.
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The National Eisteddfod 2026
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CROESO I GARREG LAS • WELCOME HOME
Firefighters bring safety message to Eisteddfod MID AND WEST WALES Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) attended this year’s Eisteddfod which took place in Llantwd, Pembrokeshire from August 1– 8. This year’s Eisteddfod took place in the area known as ‘y Garreg Las’, named after the striking local bluestone. The catchment area stretches across three stunning regions: Pembrokeshire, south Ceredigion, and west Carmarthenshire. Our Community Safety Team had a stand in the perfect location, offering members of the public free safety advice and information as well as the opportunity to sign up for a free Safe & Well check. There were plenty of activities for children to take part in, including Sbarc colouring sheets, a chance to try on a firefighter’s kit, as well as an opportunity to take part in our ‘Lithium-Ion Battery Safety’ competition! Sbarc, the lovable Service mascot also made appearances throughout the week, providing a fantastic photo opportunity! It was a fantastic week with a buzzing atmosphere from start to finish! We would like to say a big thank you to all that got involved, especially those who stopped by the MAWWFRS stand.
Crymych singer wins prestigious Eisteddfod Blue Riband
The young singer from Crymych was awarded the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize, known as the Blue Riband, at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las. Open to soloists aged between 19 and 25, the competition has provided an important early platform for some of Wales’s most celebrated singers, including Sir Bryn Terfel, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths and Steffan Lloyd Owen. Following her victory, Ffion paid tribute to her tutor and mentor, Eilir Thomas, who received the T H ParryWilliams Memorial Medal at last year’s National Eisteddfod. She said: “His influence has been absolutely invaluable. He recognised my potential and tutored me from an early age. Thank you for everything.” Ffion has recently completed her
studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is now considering the next stage of her career. She added: “This award will certainly help in my development as a singer.” The prize commemorates Thomas Osborne Roberts, a leading figure in Welsh music during the early 20th century. A composer, accompanist, conductor, teacher and critic, Roberts was respected by contemporaries including Ralph Vaughan Williams and W S Gwynn Williams. Many of his songs remain part of the Welsh musical repertoire. Although he initially trained as a land surveyor, Roberts abandoned the profession to devote himself to
music. He moved to London during the 1930s, where he worked as a teacher and accompanist. His second wife was the celebrated contralto Maggie Jones, better known professionally as Leila Megàne, whose international career included performances in Milan, New York and London. Roberts died shortly after adjudicating at the 1948 National Eisteddfod in Bridgend. The memorial prize bearing his name was established in 1951. To mark its 75th anniversary, previous recipients were invited to this year’s ceremony, with 28 former winners joining Ffion on the Pavilion stage to celebrate the prize’s remarkable history.
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Rugby teammates win Eisteddfod Playwright’s Medal
TWO close friends who met at university and went on to play rugby together have won the 2026 Playwright’s Medal with a drama exploring womanhood in contemporary Wales. Melda Lois Griffiths and Mirain Alaw Jones received the honour for their play Cwch Gwenyn, entered under the pen name Ymlaen. The result was announced during a special ceremony on the Pavilion stage at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las on Thursday, August 6. This year’s competition invited writers to submit either a detailed proposal of up to 2,500 words or a draft of a complete play lasting between 30 and 45 minutes. Proposals had to include a full story outline, setting and period, character profiles, the intended style of the production and three fully dialogued scenes. The judges described Cwch Gwenyn as “a humorous, realistic and meaningful drama about womanhood and the challenges women face in contemporary Wales”. They praised its natural dialogue and its representation of women from different backgrounds, generations, sexualities and life experiences. The adjudication said: “The concept is strong and timely, with a clear structure and believable characters, particularly Gog and Bica. “The characters are well developed, and their journeys are clear throughout the play. “The use of physical theatre on the rugby field is effective, highlighting the contrast between the excitement of the game and the tensions within it. “As a script, the drama offers engaging and creative theatrical possibilities for a director. The themes explored add genuine moral weight to the story.” The judges said the submission demonstrated the writers’ influences, research and experience while showing strong potential to become a finished play.
Some members of the panel noted similarities with the Welsh television drama Amdani and said it would be important for the writers’ distinctive voice to continue emerging as the work was developed. However, the judges concluded: “We are pleased to announce that Cwch Gwenyn demonstrated the strongest potential in the competition.” Griffiths and Jones have been close friends since meeting through the Welsh Society at Cardiff University. After graduating, they both joined the women’s team at Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd. The club’s motto, “Ymlaen” — meaning “Onwards” — provided the pen name for their competition entry. The writers describe Cwch Gwenyn as a tribute to their friendship and to the women with whom they play rugby. Griffiths was raised in the Llanuwchllyn area and attended Ysgol O M Edwards and Ysgol y Berwyn. She now lives in Cardiff with her partner, Chloe. She holds a doctorate in psychology
and works in public health within a behavioural science unit. She is also a musician and writes in her spare time. Griffiths is proud to carry the name of her grandmother, Melda Griffiths. Among her fondest childhood memories are summers spent with her in St Dogmaels, where her grandmother’s encouragement and passion for the arts played an important part in her upbringing. Jones is originally from Capel Seion in the Gwendraeth Valley and now lives in Cardiff with her husband, Trystan. A graduate of Cardiff University’s School of Welsh, she enjoys playing rugby and shares her love of the sport with her father, Iwan. She works as a script editor on the long-running Welsh-language television series Pobol y Cwm, a role which has helped her develop her storytelling and scriptwriting skills. Both writers thanked their families, partners and friends for their support, as well as their teammates at Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd.
The Playwright’s Medal was presented in memory of Eiryth and Urien Wiliam by their children, Hywel, Sioned and Steffan Wiliam. The £3,000 prize was donated by Cware ac Olew Trefigin. A consortium of Welsh theatre companies and producers partnered with the National Eisteddfod to support this year’s winner. Its members include Frân Wen, Theatr Bara Caws, Theatr Clwyd, Theatr Cymru, Theatr y Sherman, Theatr y Torch and Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch. Freelance theatre practitioners Leo Drayton and Nia Morais also served on the judging panel. Alongside the prize money, Griffiths and Jones will receive a commission to develop Cwch Gwenyn further. They will also be offered professional opportunities including theatre placements, meetings with production teams, networking, career guidance and complimentary tickets for selected performances.
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Mari Grug and Francesca Sciarrillo triumph at Welsh Podcast Awards PRESENTER and broadcaster Mari Grug claimed three major honours at the inaugural Welshlanguage Podcast Awards, including the prestigious Podcast of the Year title. Her deeply personal series, Lleisiau Cymru – 1 Mewn 2 gyda Mari Grug, took the overall prize during a ceremony at the Literary Pavilion at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las on Saturday evening (Aug 8). Mari was also named Presenter of the Year, while the series won the award for best Health, Wellbeing and Lifestyle podcast. The ceremony, hosted by Lisa Gwilym and Llŷr Evans, celebrated the creativity, diversity and growing influence of Welsh-language podcasting. Mari publicly revealed in July 2023, aged 38, that she was receiving treatment for metastatic breast cancer. She has since spoken openly about living with stage-four cancer while balancing treatment with her roles as a mother, wife, friend and broadcaster. Over the past two years, she has shared her experiences through 1 Mewn 2 and the S4C documentary Mari Grug: Un Dydd ar y Tro. Mari said: “The intention of the programme was to show that life can carry on even though I have metastatic breast cancer, and to prove that I can be a mother, a wife, a friend and a presenter while living with stage-four cancer. “I want people to know that, if you are diagnosed with metastatic cancer, don’t lose hope. Be realistic, yes, but don’t think, ‘That’s it’. “Treatments are developing all the time. You can live a full life with the condition.“I just want to see my children reach the milestones in their lives and make the most of the time I have with them.” Francesca Sciarrillo was another of the evening’s leading winners. Dim Ond Geiriau, which she
presents alongside Stephen Rule, known as Doctor Cymraeg, was named best New Podcast, while Francesca received the New Talent award gwrsio also secured prizes in the Podcast for Welsh Learners and Community Content categories. Awards organiser Aled Jones said an independent judging panel had been tasked with recognising the very best of the Welsh-language podcast industry. He said: “Podcasts are thriving, both as a creative medium and as a commercial channel, and they are helping to shape the national conversation.
“The awards celebrate the people both behind and in front of the microphone, giving recognition to creators, producers and presenters. “Whether they are part of a large organisation or an independent podcaster, the awards provide an opportunity for people to showcase their skills.” The winners • • •
Podcast of the Year: Lleisiau Cymru – 1 Mewn 2 gyda Mari Grug Presenter: Mari Grug – Lleisiau Cymru – 1 Mewn 2 Health, Wellbeing and Lifestyle: Lleisiau Cymru – 1
• • • • • • • • •
Mewn 2 gyda Mari Grug New Podcast: Dim Ond Geiriau – Francesca Sciarrillo and Stephen Rule New Talent: Francesca Sciarrillo Podcast for Welsh Learners: Sgwrsio Sport: ’Di’r Helmed yn Ffitio – Cynan Anwy Factual: Hanes Mawr Cymru Community Content: Sgwrsio Arts: Sut i Ddarllen – Books Council of Wales Entertainment and Music: Hanes Mawr Cymru Listeners’ Choice: Siarad Siop gyda Mari a Meilir
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Pembrokeshire scientist Siwan Davies awarded prestigious Eisteddfod medal A LEADING Welsh scientist who grew up in north Pembrokeshire has been awarded one of the National Eisteddfod’s most prestigious honours. Professor Siwan Davies, Swansea University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise, has received the 2026 National Eisteddfod Science and Technology Medal. The award recognises her outstanding contribution to scientific research, education and the communication of science through the medium of Welsh. Originally from Newport, Pembrokeshire – just a short distance from this year’s Maes at Llantwd – Professor Davies has established an international reputation for her work in physical geography and climate change. Alongside her research, she has played a leading role in developing Welsh-medium education and research at Swansea University and has
championed opportunities for women working in science. She is also a familiar face in the Welsh media, where she has helped make complex climate science accessible to a wider audience. Professor Davies said: “It is a tremendous honour to receive this medal. I have long admired those who have received it before me, and it is a great privilege to join them. “Receiving it at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, the area where I grew up, makes it even more special.” Professor Davies studied Geography at Jesus College, Oxford, before completing a master’s degree and PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London. She joined Swansea University in 2004, was awarded a personal chair in 2012 and was appointed Pro-ViceChancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise in 2026. The award brings particular local significance to this year’s Eisteddfod,
with one of Wales’ leading climate scientists receiving national recognition
only a few miles from where her career and connection with the landscape began.
Double success for Goodwick Brass Band at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las GOODWICK Brass Band is celebrating a hugely successful appearance at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, with its Youth Band crowned winners and the Senior Band securing third place in its section. The results provided another proud moment for the longestablished Pembrokeshire band and demonstrated the strength of brass music among both younger and more experienced musicians in the Fishguard and Goodwick area. Members of the Youth Band travelled to the National Eisteddfod Maes at Llantood after months of rehearsals and preparation – and their efforts were rewarded with victory in their competition. Goodwick Brass Band said the result was a reflection of the youngsters’ commitment and dedication. Announcing the achievement, the band said: “Llongyfarchiadau to
our Youth Band for competing at the Eisteddfod y Garreg Las and coming away as winners! “All their hard work, commitment and dedication have truly paid off. We couldn’t be prouder of this fantastic achievement. “Now it’s time for them to enjoy a
well-earned summer’s rest.” There was further success for Goodwick when the Senior Band took to the competition stage, finishing third in its section and completing what the organisation described as a “brilliant weekend” at the Eisteddfod. The results were particularly
significant for a community band which has continued to invest in giving younger musicians the opportunity to learn, rehearse and perform together. Brass bands have long played an important part in the musical life of Pembrokeshire, and Goodwick’s success on one of Wales’ biggest cultural stages provided another opportunity to showcase the county’s musical talent to an audience from across the country. For the young musicians in particular, competing at a National Eisteddfod held on home soil made the victory an occasion to remember. The band added: “We’re also delighted to announce that our Senior Band came third in their section. Brilliant weekend for us at the Eisteddfod.” With a winners’ title for the next generation and a podium finish for the senior players, Goodwick Brass Band returned home from Eisteddfod
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Eisteddfod draws to a close after landmark week
EISTEDDFOD Genedlaethol y Garreg Las has drawn to a close in north Pembrokeshire after eight days of competition, music, literature and celebration which brought thousands of visitors to Llantwd. The 2026 National Eisteddfod carried exceptional historical significance, taking place 850 years after the first recorded Eisteddfod was held under the patronage of Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd at Cardigan Castle in 1176, just a few miles from this year’s Maes. A final attendance figure had not been released by organisers on Saturday night. Pre-event estimates suggested more than 150,000 visits
were expected during the week, but those figures should not be confused with the eventual attendance total. There is already evidence, however, of the impact beyond the Maes. Visitor data from Ceredigion County Council showed Cardigan experienced a nine per cent increase in visitors compared with the equivalent week in August 2025, with 11 per cent classed as new visitors to the town. Businesses reported a particularly busy week as Eisteddfodwyr made use of the free shuttle bus between Llantwd and Cardigan. The festival followed years of work across Pembrokeshire, south Ceredigion and west Carmarthenshire,
with local committees raising more than £528,000 — the largest amount ever collected by a local fund for a National Eisteddfod. Hundreds more contributed by volunteering, performing, organising community events and preparing for the arrival of Wales’ largest celebration of the Welsh language and culture. Thousands turn out for music and competition Thousands packed Llwyfan y Maes on the first Saturday as Super Furry Animals returned to the National Eisteddfod for the first time in 30 years.
Their 90-minute set was the first entirely Welsh-language concert of the band’s career and included material from their landmark album Mwng. The following day illustrated the scale of the competitive tradition, with 800 singers from 14 choirs taking part in a single choir competition. Competitors ranged in age from ten to 80, with the largest choir alone comprising 117 singers. Music continued throughout the week on stages across the Maes. Y Bandana returned to perform at the National Eisteddfod after a decade away, while Sefyll ar y Sgwâr, inspired by the music of Ail Symudiad, involved hundreds of local singers
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alongside professional performers and musicians. Penbleth won Brwydr y Bandiau, while Goodwick Brass Band celebrated double success and local school groups and young musicians were heard throughout the week. Major literary honours awarded At the heart of the Eisteddfod remained its major literary ceremonies. Martin Huws won the 2026 National Eisteddfod Crown, while Emyr Lewis received the Chair following an outstanding competition attracting 16 entries — the highest number for the Chair competition in almost four decades. It was Lewis’s second National Eisteddfod Chair, following his success in 1994. He also won the Crown in 1998. Cardiff historian and novelist Rebecca Thomas won the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize for Ynys Gwales, while Anglesey writer and academic Gareth Evans-Jones received the Prose Medal. Jonathan Davies was named Welsh Learner of the Year, and on
the final Saturday Andrew Cusworth received the Composer’s Medal following a competition inspired by the poetry of Waldo Williams. The festival also celebrated achievement across science, theatre, recitation and the visual arts. Pembrokeshire talent recognised Several of the Eisteddfod’s prestigious awards had particularly strong local connections. Newgale-based multimedia artist Sarah Williams won the Gold Medal for Fine Art and a £5,000 prize for work drawing on Welsh mythology, language, culture and the natural environment. It was the first time the Pembrokeshire-born artist, who was educated at Croesgoch and St Davids, had exhibited at Y Lle Celf. Newcastle Emlyn ceramicist Justine Allison received the Gold Medal for Craft and Design for her hand-built porcelain vessels, also receiving a £5,000 prize. Professor Siwan Davies of Swansea University, originally from Newport in north Pembrokeshire, received the Eisteddfod’s Science
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and Technology Medal in recognition of her contribution to scientific research, education and science communication through the medium of Welsh. Choral director Islwyn Evans received the TH Parry-Williams Memorial Medal, while the week saw honours presented across a wide
range of disciplines. Joe Allen honoured on home soil One of the most warmly received local moments came when former Wales international Joe Allen was inducted into Gorsedd Cymru. The
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go to Medical Aid for Palestinians. The Eisteddfod also became a forum for wider political and cultural debate. Archdruid Mererid Hopwood used an address during the week to voice opposition to proposals for radar installations at St Davids, linking the Gorsedd’s traditional message of peace with a highly contentious issue in Pembrokeshire. The revelation that former BBC presenter Huw Edwards had entered the Crown competition under the pseudonym Y Gelyn prompted national debate about the Eisteddfod’s anonymous competition process. And the high-profile launch of the Welsh-language version of Star Wars: A New Hope attracted considerable attention, alongside political criticism of the Welsh Government’s £100,000 contribution to the project. Economic impact already being felt
Narberth-born footballer received the Blue Robe at an Eisteddfod taking place just a few miles from where he grew up. Allen, who won 77 caps for Wales and played for Swansea City, Liverpool and Stoke City, chose the bardic name Alarch Arberth — “The Swan of Narberth”. The former Ysgol y Preseli pupil has been one of the most recognisable Welsh-speaking figures in Welsh football and said receiving the honour in Pembrokeshire made the occasion particularly special. History returns to the Maes The festival’s location allowed the history of west Wales to play an unusually prominent role. The giant figure of Lord Rhys, created as part of the 850th anniversary celebrations, became one
of the defining images of Garreg Las after touring towns and communities before appearing on the Maes. On Friday, another chapter of local history was recreated when around 50 men dressed as Merched Beca charged across the Maes as part of Theatr Arad Goch’s Beca’n Galw!. A symbolic tollgate was smashed down during the performance, recalling the events at Efail-wen in 1839 which helped spark the Rebecca Riots. Community project Stori ar Sedd also brought local history into the festival, with handcrafted benches created by pupils telling stories about the communities, traditions and landscapes of the three-county area. Elsewhere, the history of the Eisteddfod itself provided one of the week’s more unusual stories. Visitors heard how a striking poster designed by Evan John Walters for
the 1926 Swansea Eisteddfod — showing a bare-legged “Dame Wales” riding a dragon — was considered so provocative that the copies were ordered to be destroyed. Only one is known to have survived. Art, politics and controversy Y Lle Celf provided one of Saturday’s most powerful moments when Anglesey artist Diane Williams received the Josef Herman Award – The People’s Choice. Her child’s nightdress embroidered with the names of 300 babies who died before reaching their first birthday in Gaza received the largest number of votes from visitors to the open exhibition. Williams said the work had been emotionally difficult to create and announced that her prize money would
While the full economic impact of Garreg Las will take time to establish, early evidence from Cardigan suggests the benefits spread well beyond the festival site Ceredigion Council visitor data recorded nine per cent more people in Cardigan than during the equivalent week last August. Of those visiting, 11 per cent were identified as new visitors to the town. Independent retailers reported strong trading, while the free Bws yr Arglwydd Rhys service between Llantwd and Cardigan helped encourage Eisteddfod visitors to spend time away from the Maes. The figures will be of particular interest locally given the scale of the investment of time and money required to bring the festival to the area. Pembrokeshire County Council has said it hopes the community groups and relationships formed during the fundraising campaign will continue after the Eisteddfod, creating a legacy beyond the eight-day event itself.
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Pictures provided by the Eisteddfod There were lighter moments too. Eurfron Bowen from Cilgerran bought a single £2 raffle ticket earlier in the week and left the Maes on Saturday as the owner of a brand-new Fiat Grande Panda. Young musicians bring the Pafiliwn to a close The final evening brought the focus firmly back to the young people of west Wales. Around 150 young musicians from Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire came together as Côr a Cherddorfa’r Tair Sir — the Three Counties Choir and Orchestra — for the closing Pafiliwn programme. The ensemble performed the premiere of Angerdd a gerdd, a work specially commissioned from internationally acclaimed Welsh composer Professor Paul Mealor using words by poet Menna Elfyn. The Three Counties ensemble has its roots in the former county of Dyfed and was revived especially for Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, bringing together young performers from all three counties represented by the festival’s catchment area. It provided an appropriately local conclusion to an Eisteddfod which had placed those communities at the heart of its identity. Next stop Glantwymyn With Garreg Las concluded, preparations are already under way for the 2027 National Eisteddfod. Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Maldwyn a Meirionnydd will be held in the Glantwymyn area near Machynlleth from July 31 to August 7 next year. It will be the first time the National Eisteddfod has visited the Dyfi Valley since 1981. Aled Griffiths, chairman of the 2027 executive committee, praised Garreg Las as an Eisteddfod which people would remember for years, while promising that next year’s event would develop its own
distinct character. On Saturday it was also confirmed that Cardiff will host the National Eisteddfod in 2028, returning the festival to the Welsh capital for the first time since 2018. For north Pembrokeshire, however, attention now turns to what remains after the Maes is dismantled. The record £528,000 local fundraising campaign, increased visitor numbers in Cardigan, involvement of hundreds of volunteers and participation of local schools, musicians, artists and community groups have already given organisers tangible evidence of the effect of bringing the festival to the area. Eight hundred and fifty years after the gathering associated with Lord Rhys at Cardigan, the National Eisteddfod had returned to the same corner of west Wales. Garreg Las 2026 is over. Its organisers hope its impact will last considerably longer.
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Sheen documentary casts spotlight on ‘contaminated sites’ in Pembrokeshire Campaigners say 4,755 locations have potentially contaminating histories, while the county’s statutory register contains only one formally determined site WHEN Michael Sheen asks television audiences what may be buried beneath Welsh soil later this month, the question will not end at the contaminated quarries featured in his investigation. Although the two-part BBC documentary focuses principally on historic chemical dumping in southeast Wales, research suggests Pembrokeshire has as many as 4,755 locations with potentially contaminating former uses Despite that figure, Pembrokeshire County Council’s statutory contaminated-land register contains just one formally determined site: land beside South Pembrokeshire Golf Course at Pennar. The enormous difference between those figures does not mean another 4,754 places are dangerous. However, campaigners argue it demonstrates how little information is publicly available about the county’s industrial, military and waste-disposal legacy—and how much remains to be properly assessed. Sheen investigates Wales’ buried chemical legacy Buried with Michael Sheen, beginning on BBC Two at 9:00pm on Monday, August 17, follows the story of the late farming consultant and environmental campaigner Douglas Gowan. Gowan began investigating during the 1960s after discovering a deformed calf close to a landfill site in Rhondda Cynon Taf. He later alleged that thousands of tonnes of industrial waste containing polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs, had been buried near Welsh farms and communities. His investigation centred on Brofiscin and Maendy quarries near Llantrisant and their links to Monsanto’s former chemical plant in Newport. PCBs were used extensively in electrical equipment and other industrial products because of their durability and resistance to heat. Those same qualities mean they can remain in soil, sediment and living organisms for decades. Gowan spent much of his life trying to establish the scale and consequences of the dumping. Before his death in 2018, he recorded his testimony with Sheen, who subsequently joined investigative journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor to examine his claims. The television series grew from the award-winning BBC Radio 4
contacting its Pollution Control Team. Its website explains that potentially contaminated land is assessed through a staged process. Officers identify possible sources, consider nearby human or environmental receptors and assess whether there is—or may be—a significant risk of harm. The council also deals with substantial amounts of contaminatedland work through planning applications. Developers of brownfield sites can be required to investigate and remediate contamination before land is considered suitable for its proposed use. The statutory register is therefore not a complete record of every contaminated site investigated or cleaned through the planning process. Questions over an ageing inspection strategy Tom Sinclair
editor@herald.email
podcast Buried: The Last Witness. No Pembrokeshire location has so far been identified in the programme’s published description, but the questions it raises have a clear local relevance. Thousands of locations— but only one on the register A Pembrokeshire briefing produced by Friends of the Earth Cymru says its review of publicly available information suggests up to 4,755 potentially contaminated locations have been identified within the county. These can include former industrial premises, military land, landfills, fuel installations, workshops, depots and locations where potentially hazardous materials may previously have been handled. The campaign group found more than 45,000 potentially contaminated sites across Wales as a whole, but only 82 had been formally designated as contaminated land. Friends of the Earth stressed that the presence of a location on a preliminary list does not establish that contamination exists or that it poses a danger. Historical land use identifies a possible source; further investigation is required to establish whether pollutants remain, whether there is a pathway through which people or the environment could be exposed and whether significant harm is being caused or is likely. That legal threshold explains
part of the difference between Pembrokeshire’s potential-site figure and its single formal determination. Land remediated voluntarily or through the planning system may also never enter the Part 2A register. Nevertheless, campaigners say the public should be able to discover which locations have been identified, how they have been prioritised and whether physical testing has taken place. Friends of the Earth Cymru spokesperson Kirsty Luff said: “People in Wales deserve to know whether the places where they live, work and play are free from pollution.” Pennar is county’s only formally determined site Pembrokeshire County Council’s public register acknowledges that the county contains areas affected by contamination but records only one site formally determined under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The entry relates to land to the south of the valley at South Pembrokeshire Golf Course, Military Road, Pennar. It was formally determined on September 13, 2019, under reference PCC/CL/01. The online register describes its status as a “Notification of Determination” but does not explain the contaminating substance, the identified exposure pathway, the extent of the affected land or the remediation undertaken. The council says further information can be inspected free of charge by
Friends of the Earth describes Pembrokeshire’s published contaminated-land inspection strategy, dated August 2016, as out of date. The campaign group says such strategies should be updated every five years, taking account of new evidence, changes in land use, emerging contaminants and advances in testing. The council’s website says its strategy is reviewed periodically, but no newer published version has been identified. That leaves several important questions unanswered publicly: how many of the 4,755 potential locations have undergone deskbased assessment; how many have been inspected; how many have been physically sampled; and how many have been removed from priority lists after risks were ruled out or addressed? The figure also raises questions about the resources available to the council. Friends of the Earth argues that councils across Wales lack the staffing and funding needed to investigate the industrial legacy beneath their communities. Munitions and phosphorus burning at Trecwn One Pembrokeshire location singled out in the campaign group’s briefing is the former Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Trecwn. Friends of the Earth says historical information shows that munitions destruction and phosphorus burning occurred at the sprawling
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decommissioned military site. That does not establish a present risk, but it makes Trecwn an obvious subject for questions about historic investigations, soil and groundwater sampling, contamination records and any remediation completed before or after the depot closed. Other former military, refinery, fuel-storage and industrial locations around Pembrokeshire may also appear within the preliminary inventory because of their previous uses. Publication of the underlying list, accompanied by appropriate explanations and risk categories, would allow residents to distinguish sites requiring further investigation from those already assessed or remediated. What the evidence says about Milford Haven Waterway Pembrokeshire’s industrial legacy is also visible in the long history of environmental monitoring within the Milford Haven Waterway. The latest Natural Resources Wales condition assessment for the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation found that the Milford Haven Inner waterbody failed its 2024 interim chemical classification
because of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, known as PBDEs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. PBDEs were widely used as flame retardants, while PAHs can be produced through the burning of coal, oil, gas and other organic materials and are also associated with petroleum contamination. NRW reported that one PAH compound exceeded its most stringent ecological guideline in Milford Haven sediment sampling during 2023. Other PAHs were above less stringent guidelines, while a small number of monitoring stations recorded high concentrations of mercury or PAHs. However, the report also provides important reassurance. PCBs and most heavy metals were typically below the most stringent ecological guidelines during the 2023 sampling, while most additional monitoring stations recorded contaminant levels below the relevant guidelines. NRW nevertheless acknowledged that the Waterway has a history of contamination because of its industrial character. It also recorded gaps in chemical monitoring and limited sampling coverage, reducing confidence in parts of the wider assessment.
The available evidence therefore does not support claims of a current PCB emergency in Milford Haven. It does demonstrate the continuing need to monitor persistent industrial chemicals in an ecologically important waterway surrounded by major energy and port infrastructure. PCBs and PFAS are not the same The term “forever chemicals” is frequently associated with PFAS— per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances— but the Michael Sheen documentary deals principally with PCBs. They are separate groups of chemicals, although both can remain in the environment for very long periods and accumulate in food chains. There is currently no published evidence identified by The Herald showing dangerous PFAS levels in Pembrokeshire’s public drinking water. The Drinking Water Inspectorate reported that there were no tier-two or tier-three PFAS detections in final treated drinking water anywhere in Wales during 2024. County-level results would still be required to establish precisely
what testing has been undertaken at Pembrokeshire sources and supply zones. A question that should not remain buried Pembrokeshire’s single statutory register entry should not be portrayed as proof that the county has only one area affected by contamination. Equally, the 4,755 potential locations should not be presented as thousands of confirmed toxic sites. The significant story lies in the gap between them. Residents currently have no simple public map explaining where potentially contaminating land uses have been identified, which locations have been assessed, what testing was undertaken and which sites have been cleared or remediated. As Michael Sheen’s investigation brings Wales’ buried industrial history to a national audience, the same basic question now confronts authorities in Pembrokeshire: what lies beneath the county’s former industrial, military and waste sites—and how much is genuinely known about it?
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101-year-old woman continues to share her love of dolls’ houses
A 101-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire woman is still welcoming visitors to the dolls’ house museum she created with toys from her childhood. Val Ripley was just eight years old
Cerys Lafferty
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when her parents gave her her first dolls’ house for Christmas in 1932. She remembers waking up to find
a huge parcel waiting for her. “I remember thinking ‘they can’t have bought me that one’, and it was my pride and joy my whole childhood,” she said. The treasured dolls’ house and other childhood toys were later put into storage in 1939, when Val’s father returned to the Army and the family moved. After the family settled into a new home, the toys were placed in the attic and remained there for decades. It was not until after Val’s mother died in 1977 that she and her sister Pam rediscovered the collection while clearing the attic. “We thought they were all gone. But after our mother died in 1977, my sister Pam and I discovered all our toys in their pre-war crates. It was so emotional, I can’t tell you,” Val said. The sisters decided to build on their childhood collection and share it with the public. Together, they opened Ty Twt Dolls House and Toy Museum in Newport,
Pembrokeshire, 26 years ago. Although Pam has since died, Val continues to welcome visitors and school groups, giving them the chance to see toys and dolls’ houses from generations gone by. “I ask them if they have dolls’ houses, but all theirs are pink,” she said. Val believes the collection offers more than entertainment, describing it as a record of social history which demonstrates how everyday life has changed over the years. The collection includes miniature versions of homes, furniture and household appliances, showing how domestic life has developed over generations. The oldest dolls’ house in the collection dates back to 1840 and represents the home of a wealthy family during the early Victorian period. “That was the date when dolls’ houses became children’s toys,” Val explained. Before then, dolls’ houses had been expensive and highly detailed display pieces created for wealthy adults, often handcrafted in Europe. The Industrial Revolution helped change that, allowing dolls’ houses to be produced more widely and making them more affordable for families. They were also designed to be sturdier so children could play with them. Among Val’s favourite pieces is a miniature school for teddy bears, complete with pupils and teachers whose names she still remembers. “Reggie, Bruce, Yvonne, Carol, Gus, Penny, Miss Brewin, Mr Edwards the headmaster,” she said. Her father even created a mock Latin motto for the school: Ursus Nobiscum, meaning “Bear with Us”. And despite having an extensive collection already, Val admits she still cannot resist adding to it. “If I see something I haven’t got, I still buy it,” she said.
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Milford Waterfront Weekender returns
MILFORD WATERFRONT will come alive this weekend as its popular Weekender returns with three days of street food, live entertainment and activities for the whole family. The free-entry event will take place at Mackerel Quay from Friday, August 14 to Sunday, August 16, bringing together local producers, artisan traders and independent businesses from across Pembrokeshire, West Wales and beyond. Visitors can expect a wide selection of street food, ranging from international dishes and barbecue favourites to seafood and sweet treats. Local food and drink producers will also be showcasing their products, while a fully stocked event bar will operate throughout the weekend. A large stage will host live music across all three days, with 4th Street confirmed as the main headline act on Saturday night. Children’s entertainment will also form part of the programme, helping to create a relaxed and family-friendly festival atmosphere overlooking the Milford Haven Waterway. The Weekender is being delivered by Coast Event Partners in partnership with Milford Waterfront, with an emphasis on supporting independent businesses, promoting Welsh produce and attracting both
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residents and visitors to the town. It forms part of Milford Waterfront’s busy summer programme and offers visitors an opportunity to explore the destination’s shops, restaurants, cafés and marina while enjoying the event. The Weekender is both family-
Limited places available for Carew Airfield visit AVIATION enthusiasts are being invited to join the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group for a special evening visit to Carew Airfield and its historic control tower. The visit will take place on Wednesday, September 9, beginning at 7:30pm, with attendance limited to a maximum of 30 people. Non-members are welcome, although organisers say a small entry
charge may apply, with further details to be confirmed. Advance registration is essential. Anyone wishing to attend should email PAG chairman Graham Clarkson at enquiries@pdht.org. Pembrokeshire Aviation Group holds monthly Wednesday meetings at the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.
friendly and dog-friendly, admission is free throughout.
and
Opening times • •
Friday, August 14: noon–9.00pm Saturday, August 15: noon– 10.00pm
•
Sunday, August 16: noon–7.00pm
Further announcements about traders and performers will be shared through the Milford Waterfront and Coast Event Partners social media channels ahead of the event.
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Rath paddling pool reopens in surprise summer holiday boost MILFORD HAVEN’S muchloved paddling pool has reopened unexpectedly, less than a month after families were warned that it would remain closed for the rest of the year. Milford Haven Town Council confirmed on Monday (Aug 10) that the pool on The Rath was once again “open for business”. The council said: “We are delighted to announce that the paddling pool is open for business. “Thank you to everyone who has worked so tirelessly on making this happen. Now, enough babbling from me — happy paddling, everyone!” The pool closed on July 13 after what initially appeared to be a routine maintenance issue revealed a more substantial fault involving ageing equipment. Replacement parts were understood to be difficult to obtain, and families were subsequently told that the attraction would not reopen during 2026. The closure caused widespread disappointment during the school summer holidays and renewed discussion about the long-term future of the popular seafront facility.
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Milford Haven Town Council manages the pool under a lease from Pembrokeshire County Council. Monday’s announcement was
greeted with delight by local families, with residents describing the reopening as “fantastic news” and thanking those involved in completing the repairs. The council’s initial announcement did not specify opening hours or
whether visitors need to book, although residents were already seeking clarification. For now, however, the message from The Rath is a simple one: bring the towels — the paddling pool is back.
Funded childcare offer extended to all two-year-olds in Pembrokeshire FAMILIES across Pembrokeshire are being encouraged to apply for 12.5 hours of funded childcare a week under an expansion of the Flying Start programme. The offer is now available to all twoyear-olds in the county and is intended to give children access to high-quality early learning while helping parents and carers with childcare costs. Pembrokeshire County Council said the provision would allow children to learn, play and develop in a safe and nurturing environment. It could also give families greater flexibility around work, training and other commitments. Councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, Cabinet Member for Communities, Early Years and Play, said: “I am delighted that more families across Pembrokeshire will now be able to benefit from the 12.5 hours funded childcare offer. “Investing in our children’s early
years is one of the most important things we can do, helping children develop the skills, confidence and foundations they need for the future. “This expansion demonstrates our commitment to supporting families and ensuring that every child has access to high-quality early learning experiences. “I would encourage parents and carers to find out more about the offer and take advantage of the support available.” The council said it would continue working with childcare providers and partner organisations to ensure families could access services suited to their needs. Parents and carers can apply through the Pembrokeshire County Council Flying Start webpage or email flyingstart@pembrokeshire.gov.uk for further information.
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Pembrokeshire workshop aims to help adults break free from ‘people-pleasing’ A PEMBROKESHIRE wellbeing organisation is holding a new workshop designed to help people recognise “people-pleasing” patterns and develop healthier boundaries. Heart Rites will host its From People-Pleasing to Embodied Honour workshop at Canolfan Llwynihirion in Brynberian, near Crymych, on Sunday 23 August. Running from 9:30am until 1:00pm, the event is open to everyone aged 18 and over and is inclusive of all genders. Organisers say many people routinely put the needs of others before their own, struggle to say no, seek approval or feel responsible for keeping everyone around them happy. Although these behaviours can sometimes be dismissed as simply being “too nice”, Heart Rites says persistent people-pleasing can affect confidence, wellbeing and relationships, while also contributing to exhaustion and burnout. Rather than approaching the issue through willpower or positive thinking alone, the workshop will use embodied practices intended to help participants reconnect with their own feelings and needs. Movement, trance, voice, ritual and dance will form part of the morning,
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alongside reflection and an exploration of nervous-system awareness. The workshop will also examine some of the roots of people-pleasing and encourage
participants to develop greater selftrust and confidence in expressing themselves. The session will be led by Heart Rites founder Kate Freyja, a Welsh artist, somatic teacher and shamanic guide whose work focuses on wellbeing,
personal expression and ancestral practices. Heart Rites says Kate has worked with more than 800 people since 2019 through embodied spiritual workshops, consultations and therapeutic sessions. The Pembrokeshire-based organisation describes its approach as heart-centred, with the aim of encouraging unity, wellbeing and harmony while creating supportive spaces for personal exploration and expression. The Brynberian workshop forms part of Heart Rites’ plans to offer more accessible, community-focused wellbeing experiences across Pembrokeshire. Further workshops and events are expected to be announced throughout the coming months. Early-bird tickets cost £48 and are available until Thursday 13 August. Tickets will then cost £60 and remain available up to the day of the workshop, subject to availability. The event takes place at Canolfan Llwynihirion, Brynberian, Crymych, SA41 3TY. Tickets and further information are available through the Heart Rites website or Eventbrite
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Little Haven swimmer’s 12 festive dips raise £2,000 for Wales Air Ambulance
Chilly challenge: Chrissie Bonner (centre) with her friend Nicky and great-niece Nadia during the 12-dip fundraiser. A PEMBROKESHIRE businesswoman who braved 12 cold-water swims during the Christmas period has raised £2,000 for Wales Air Ambulance after its
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clinicians helped save her friend’s daughter.
Christine “Chrissie” Bonner, 59, from Little Haven, gave the Twelve Days of Christmas a chilly twist by completing 12 sea dips during December. She undertook the challenge to thank the lifesaving service following a serious road collision involving the daughter of her close friend, Nicky. Chrissie said: “My dear friend Nicky’s daughter was involved in a road traffic collision in a rural location several years ago “Her injuries were so severe that Wales Air Ambulance came to her aid. Without this service, it could have been a very different outcome. “There is no doubt that the clinicians who attended her that day saved her life. Her family often organise fundraising events for the charity, and I wanted to do my bit too.” Chrissie, who runs a holiday cottage business in Little Haven, is no stranger to the sea and enjoys paddleboarding, fishing and boating as well as cold-water swimming. She said Wales Air Ambulance was particularly important to people living in rural communities such as Pembrokeshire. “We live in such a rural area and there is so much to do outdoors,” she said. “I love the water, so paddleboarding, fishing, boating – anything that I can do in the sea, I will. “Cold-water swimming just makes you feel amazing. You feel refreshed and your skin feels tight and tingly.” Chrissie was joined during the challenge by relatives and friends, including Zoe, Nicky, members of her
circuits group, her nephew Bob and her great-niece Nadia. The group faced everything from rain and rough surf to calm winter conditions. Chrissie said: “I had lots of encouragement and support. We swam in the rain, when the surf was up and on lovely calm days too. “It was a real mix of conditions, but we had great fun.” Her niece and nephew, Kath and Mick, helped establish an online fundraising page. Although they initially suggested a £1,000 target, Chrissie believed £500 would be a more realistic goal. She said she had been overwhelmed by the generosity of those who supported the challenge. “I would have been so grateful to reach £500,” she said. “People have been incredibly generous and I am so thankful to everyone who supported me.” Chrissie also persuaded her partner Pete, a former lifeboat helm who is now a launching authority for Little and Broad Haven Lifeboat, to take part. Pete mentioned the fundraiser to colleagues at Puffin Produce, who made a generous donation and offered to double their contribution if he completed a dip himself. The support helped bring the final total to an impressive £2,000. Wales Air Ambulance delivers consultant-led emergency care across the country, taking hospital-standard treatments directly to seriously ill and injured patients. The service is delivered through a partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and the NHS Wales Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service. The charity relies on public donations to raise £13 million each year to keep its helicopters flying and rapid-response vehicles on the road. Mike May, Wales Air Ambulance regional fundraising manager, praised Chrissie and everyone who supported her challenge. He said: “It is impressive that Chrissie took on 12 cold-water dips in the depths of winter to raise funds for our charity – and that she managed to rope in family and friends too. “We are grateful that she chose our charity as a beneficiary after our crew came to the aid of her friend’s daughter, and relieved to hear that she has made a good recovery. “£2,000 is an incredible amount, and we are very thankful to every person who donated. Every pound raised makes a lifesaving difference. Diolch yn fawr.”
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Garage conversion to two‑bed holiday let plans submitted A CALL to convert a south Pembrokeshire garage to a two-bed holiday let has been submitted to county planners. In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, John Forward and Julie Clare, through agent RPC Design & Architecture Ltd, seek permission for the change of use of garage/ storeroom to short-term holiday let accommodation at Basford Park, Wooden, near Saundersfoot. A supporting statement accompanying the application says: “This statement has been prepared in support of a planning application for the change of use of an existing attached garage with a first-floor storeroom to form a self-contained two-bedroom holiday let annex. “The proposal seeks to make effective use of an existing building within the residential curtilage of the property, providing high-quality short-term holiday accommodation while requiring only minimal external alterations to the building. “The accommodation will comprise a two-bedroom holiday let designed to provide comfortable short-term visitor accommodation. The annex will be operated solely as holiday accommodation and will not be
occupied as a permanent residence. “To reinforce this, occupancy will be limited to a maximum stay of six consecutive weeks by any individual booking. Appropriate booking records will be maintained to demonstrate compliance with this restriction if required. The proposal will therefore provide visitor accommodation that supports tourism without contributing
Excellent bathing water results recorded at Goodwick and Lower Town
THE LATEST bathing water tests carried out at Goodwick Beach and Lower Town, Fishguard, have returned results consistent with an “excellent” classification. Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council is again working with Pembrokeshire County Council and Public Health Wales to monitor water quality at the two popular coastal locations. Samples collected on July 30 were tested for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, two types of bacteria routinely used to assess the cleanliness and safety of bathing water. The results were: Goodwick Beach • •
E. coli: 14 colony-forming units per 100ml Enterococci: 2 colony-forming
units per 100ml Lower Town, Fishguard • •
E. coli: 2 colony-forming units per 100ml Enterococci: 5 colony-forming units per 100ml
Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council said the figures would be classified as “excellent”. The samples were examined by the Public Health Wales microbiology laboratory in Carmarthen, with the final reports confirming the low bacterial counts at both locations. Testing will continue as part of the partnership’s ongoing monitoring programme. As with all individual water tests, the findings relate specifically to the samples collected on the day and conditions can change following heavy rainfall or other environmental events.
to the supply of unrestricted residential accommodation.” It adds: “The proposed holiday annex benefits from sufficient private outdoor amenity space, including a small patio/ seating area to the front of the annex together with access to a generous garden area located to the eastern side of the building. “There will also be a large garden
area left for the main dwelling. Given that the proposal involves the reuse of an existing building with minimal physical alteration, there will be no significant overlooking, overshadowing, or loss of privacy to neighbouring properties.” The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.
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Families urged to claim up to £200 towards school costs FAMILIES across Wales are being encouraged to check whether they can claim up to £200 towards school uniforms and other essential items ahead of the new academic year. The Welsh Government’s School Essentials Grant is now open to eligible lower-income families with children from reception through to Year 11. Most eligible pupils can receive £125, while those entering Year 7 can receive £200 to help meet the additional costs associated with starting secondary school. The money can be used towards: • • • • •
School uniforms, footwear and school bags Pens, pencils and other classroom essentials Sports kits and equipment for after-school activities Musical instruments and specialist curriculum equipment Waterproof clothing and equipment for outdoor learning
• •
Clothing needed for residential educational visits Uniforms for activities including Scouts, Guides, cadets, martial arts, dance and performing arts In limited circumstances, the grant
may also help with the cost of a laptop or tablet where a school is unable to lend suitable equipment to the family. Parents and carers must apply through the local authority in which their child attends school. A claim can be made once for each eligible child
during every school year. The payment is not automatic, meaning families who have received support previously will still need to submit a new application. More than 86,000 children and young people received help through the scheme last year. Minister for Education and the Welsh Language Anna Brychan said: “During August, many families will be purchasing uniforms and other school supplies. I want to encourage them to check if they are entitled to access the School Essentials Grant, which can help with costs. “Last year, over 86,000 children and young people were supported by the School Essentials Grant. Families do need to apply for it to ensure they receive the one-off payment for this school year.” Successful applications can also help schools secure the full funding available to support pupils from lowerincome households. Families can check the eligibility rules and find details of how to apply on the Welsh Government website.
Milford Haven Science Squad marks 20 years of Dragon Darwin Experience A PEMBROKESHIRE science programme which has reached more than 80,000 participants has rounded off its 20th anniversary year with another successful Science Squad programme in Milford Haven. The Dragon Darwin Experience, run by the Darwin Centre with the support of Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy, has been bringing hands-on science and environmental education to schools and communities across the county since 2005. Its Milford Haven Science Squad brings together Year 5 pupils from primary schools across the Milford Haven cluster for a series of science days at Milford Haven School. As well as giving youngsters opportunities to work with scientists and STEM professionals, the scheme is intended to help pupils become familiar with the secondary school environment ahead of their move from primary education. The final Science Squad session of the 2025/26 academic year was held in June, when pupils turned their attention to chemistry with Dr Seth Remington and Maru from NutraSteward. Young scientists took part in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Global Experiment, investigating the vitamin C content of different fruits and vegetables. The practical session saw pupils develop laboratory techniques, collect and compare results and consider the role vitamin C plays in nutrition and health.
It completed a varied year of activities which began with an astronomy session led by local physicist Dr Mark Smith. Pupils explored black holes, the life cycle of stars and other phenomena in the universe before moving from outer space to marine biology during the spring term, when the Darwin Centre team led a hands-on squid dissection exploring cephalopod anatomy and adaptation. Samantha Williams, Charity Manager at the Darwin Centre, said Science Squad gave Year 5 pupils the
chance to experience science outside the classroom while also becoming more comfortable in their future secondary school. She said meeting scientists and STEM professionals throughout the year helped children understand where their own curiosity and interests could eventually lead. Speaking about the final chemistry session, she added: “Their enthusiasm, expertise, and willingness to share their own career experiences helped bring chemistry to life for the pupils.”
NutraSteward has supported the Science Squad for a number of years, returning to deliver its annual chemistry session and giving pupils an opportunity to meet people working professionally in science. This academic year has had particular significance for the Darwin Centre as it celebrates two decades of the Dragon Darwin Experience. The programme began in November 2005, with pupils at Roch Community School taking part in its first STEM workshop. Since then, the project has grown considerably, delivering more than 2,500 events and working with more than 80,000 participants across Pembrokeshire. Its long-running partnership with Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy was renewed for a further five years in 2024, securing continued support for free STEM workshops, field trips and educational activities. The anniversary year has also brought further recognition for the Haverfordwest-based charity, which was recently named Educational Charity of the Year at the Prestige Wales Awards. With preparations for the 2026/27 academic year now under way, the Darwin Centre says it intends to continue expanding opportunities for young people to experience science first-hand and meet the scientists, engineers and environmental specialists who use it in their working lives.
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Former Temperance Hall gets new lease of life as print and exhibition centre The Grade-II-listed building to be transformed after more than 13 years standing vacant WORKS are progressing with a community initiative redevelopment of Haverfordwest’s former Temperance Hall, which has been a cinema, a bingo hall and a WW2 billet for Dutch soldiers, into a print works and exhibition centre. Stuart Berry of community-led initiative Haverfordwest Heritage was granted permission by county planners last September for works at the Grade-II-listed Temperance Hall, 5 St Mary Street. The long list of works and renovations will create a new heritage printing centre, temporary exhibition area, cafe and private enterprise space. Works started in September 2024. The building was purchased in February 2024 and has been renovated through the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund. Current interior renovations are being funded by Pembrokeshire County Council with funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. A supporting statement through agent Acanthus Holden Architects said the Temperance Hall dates from 1888-89, previously housing the Dolphin Inn and was originally earmarked for a free library and museum, instead the hall was built as part of the 19th-century Temperance Movement. “Its architectural significance includes a grand stuccoed façade, a large central arched fanlight with coloured glazing, and a distinctive pediment inscribed with ‘1888 Temperance Hall’,” the statement, says, adding the building’s use evolved over the 20th century, variously becoming “White’s Cinema de Luxe, a billet for Dutch soldiers during WWII, a bingo hall, a Masonic lodge, and an attempted Indian restaurant in the early 2000s”. It had stood vacant for over 13 years during which time significant internal changes were made, including the loss of original tiered galleries and the insertion of a poorly designed mezzanine, the statement adds. Detailing the applicant and proposal, it says Haverfordwest Heritage had a mission “to transform empty heritage buildings into vibrant spaces that support learning, local enterprise, arts and culture,” adding: “Their work aims to improve accessibility, encourage tourism, and strengthen the local economy while preserving the town’s architectural heritage. “The proposal seeks to refurbish
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and repurpose the building as a Heritage Print Centre (ground floor), temporary exhibition space (first floor), and café (mezzanine). The basement will be occupied by related private enterprises, accessed from Dark Street. “This scheme not only aims to bring the building back into meaningful use after over a decade of vacancy, but also does so in a way that respects and responds to its architectural, social and historic significance.” It went on to say: “These proposals will secure the future of Temperance Hall as a vibrant civic asset and a centre of cultural and creative activity within Haverfordwest. In doing so, the project supports the mission and values of Haverfordwest Heritage, ensuring the building serves as a beacon for inclusive, sustainable regeneration and a lasting benefit to the local community.” Visiting the site recently, local county councillor Tom Tudor said: “As county councillor for the Castle Ward it was lovely to be invited by Haverfordwest Heritage Officers Stuart Berry CEO and Phillip Evitt Director and Vice Chair to see what progress has been made on the Temperance Hall development project in Saint Mary’s Street in
Haverfordwest. “Accompanied with me was Steve Jardine from the Regeneration Department at Pembrokeshire County Council who, alongside myself was
very supportive and impressed with the project and extremely excited for the future aspirations of Haverfordwest Heritage team.”
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Colour, crowds and craft as Pembroke River Rally brings waterfront to life
Historic annual event draws vessels up the river into Castle Pond as families turn out for a colourful celebration of Pembroke’s maritime heritage
PEMBROKE’S waterfront was transformed into a sea of colour today (Saturday, August 8) as boats decorated with flags from around the world took part in the annual Pembroke River Rally. The popular maritime event brought dozens of vessels along the Pembroke River and into Castle Pond, with crowds gathering along the waterfront to watch the flotilla arrive beneath the imposing backdrop of Pembroke Castle. Warm weather helped create a festival atmosphere as boat owners, families, visitors and civic representatives came together for one of the town’s most distinctive summer traditions. Photographs from the rally show Castle Pond busy with vessels of all shapes and sizes, while one of the most eye-catching boats was covered from bow to stern in strings of brightly
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coloured international flags. Members of the civic party were also pictured alongside the decorated vessel before taking to the water as part of the procession. Pembroke Dock Town Council described it as a “great day at Pembroke River Rally”, saying there had been “plenty of boats and entertainment for all”. A tradition with a serious purpose While the rally has become an enjoyable family event, its origins are rooted in something much more significant: preserving the historic right of navigation along the Pembroke River. For centuries the river was an
important route into the old town, linking Pembroke with the Haven and the wider maritime world. Ships once travelled upriver carrying goods and supplies, helping support the commercial life of the town long before road transport became dominant. The construction of the barrage across the river changed the character of the waterway, but the annual rally has helped ensure that navigation into Castle Pond continues to be demonstrated. The modern River Rally dates back more than three decades and has become an important annual reminder that Pembroke remains a maritime town. Each year the event provides an opportunity for boats to make the journey upriver, passing through the barrage and into the historic centre of Pembroke.
That makes the flotilla more than simply a parade. Every vessel taking part is helping continue a tradition which connects the modern town with generations of sailors, traders and boat owners who used the river before them. Boats fill Castle Pond Saturday’s event saw boats gather before making their way towards Pembroke in convoy. As the flotilla approached the town, spectators lined the banks and waterfront to watch the vessels enter Castle Pond. The arrival created an impressive scene, with flags fluttering from boats against the castle walls and historic buildings surrounding the water. Boats lined both sides of the pond, while further craft could be seen
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making their way along the river. Onshore entertainment added to the occasion, turning the rally into a wider community event rather than simply an event for boat owners. Families were able to enjoy the waterfront while watching the boats arrive and depart, with the good weather encouraging a healthy turnout throughout the afternoon. The colourful flags carried by many of the vessels were particularly prominent, giving the rally an international flavour and creating some spectacular views across the water. Pembroke and Pembroke Dock together The River Rally also provides an opportunity for Pembroke and Pembroke Dock to celebrate the maritime history which links the two neighbouring towns. Pembroke Dock’s development was famously shaped by the Royal Dockyard and its position on the Milford Haven Waterway, while Pembroke’s connection with the river stretches back centuries further. The annual journey between the Haven and Castle Pond symbolically brings those histories together. Civic representatives were among those taking part on Saturday, joining boat crews and members of the public for the event. The sight of civic robes beside
a boat covered in maritime flags provided one of the more memorable images of the afternoon. It was also a reminder that the rally has become firmly established in the local calendar. Spectacular setting There are few settings quite like Castle Pond for an event of this kind. Boats entering the pond pass beneath one of Wales’ most famous castles, with spectators able to watch from several vantage points around the waterfront. On Saturday, the combination of calm water, sunshine, colourful boats and crowds along the banks produced an impressive scene. For visitors unfamiliar with the town, it also offered a glimpse of a side of Pembroke which can sometimes be overshadowed by the castle itself. The river helped shape the town just as surely as its medieval fortifications did. Saturday’s rally brought that connection back into focus. Maritime heritage kept alive Events such as the River Rally also highlight the continued importance of Pembrokeshire’s waterways to community life. The county’s relationship with
the sea is often associated with commercial ports, fishing, lifeboats and tourism, but smaller events involving local boat owners remain an important part of that maritime culture. They bring together people who might otherwise use the water independently and turn the river itself into a community space.
For several hours on Saturday, that was exactly what happened in Pembroke. Instead of an otherwise quiet stretch of water, Castle Pond was packed with boats, flags and activity. Families stopped to watch, cameras came out as the vessels arrived, and the waterfront once again became the centre of attention. The event also demonstrated the value of maintaining access to Pembroke River and keeping knowledge of its maritime past alive for younger generations. A memorable summer afternoon As the tide dictated the eventual departure of the boats, vessels gradually began making their way back downriver. But for those watching from the shore, Saturday had provided one of summer. The River Rally may only occupy a few hours each year, but its significance reaches much further. It celebrates the communities of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock, preserves an important maritime tradition and reminds residents and visitors alike that the river running beneath Pembroke Castle is far more than part of the scenery. For generations it was one of the town’s gateways to the world. Today, with flags flying and boats once again filling Castle Pond, that history was brought vividly back to life.
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Solva artists to stage joint exhibition in St Davids
TWO Solva artists will bring work inspired by the Pembrokeshire coast to St Davids this summer as part of the North Pembrokeshire Open Studios art trail. Nicola Schoenenberger and Mandy Fish will hold their joint exhibition at the Memorial Hall, adjoining City Hall
in High Street, from Saturday, August 22, until Sunday, September 6. Nicola’s collection will include original seascapes and landscapes featuring locations such as Solva and Porthgain, alongside colourful handmade and collaged prints of fish including wrasse, mackerel and Arctic char. Limited-edition prints and cards will also be available. Mandy will exhibit a selection of monoprints and digital montage prints inspired by walks along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Her work combines traditional printmaking with digital collage techniques to create layered interpretations of the county’s landscape and landmarks. Visitors will also be able to see demonstrations of nonpress printmaking techniques for sketchbooks, led by Mandy on Thursday, August 27, and Friday, August 28. The exhibition will be open daily from 10:00am until 4:00pm. Admission is free, although donations to the RNLI will be welcomed. Copies of the North Pembrokeshire Open Studios brochure will be available at the exhibition, featuring details of artists opening their studios and exhibiting across Pembrokeshire during the same period. The Memorial Hall is at High Street, St Davids, SA62 6SD. Further information about the wider art trail can be found at npopenstudios.co.uk.
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Welsh brewery numbers rise as UK closure rate slows THE NUMBER of breweries operating in Wales increased during the first six months of the year, new industry figures have revealed. Figures from the SIBA UK Brewery Tracker show Wales recorded a net increase of three breweries between January and June 2026. This placed Wales alongside the North West and South East of England as the best-performing areas of the UK. The South West also recorded modest growth, with a net increase of one brewery. Across the UK as a whole, however, closures continued to outnumber new openings. After accounting for breweries which opened and closed, the UK recorded a net loss of 16 breweries during the first half of 2026. That equates to fewer than one net closure each week, compared with almost three a week during 2025, when the country suffered a net loss of 137 breweries. SIBA said the slowdown offered some encouragement following several difficult years for the industry, but warned
that high taxation, rising production costs and limited access to pub bars continued to threaten independent brewers. Andy Slee, SIBA chief executive, said: “The figures released today are a sign that brewery closure numbers may be beginning to stabilise following a number of particularly tough years – but for most breweries the struggles are not behind them. “Brewing businesses which have managed to weather the storm are seeing strong demand for independent beer, but profitability is still a concern, with lack of access to pubs, high taxation and high production costs hitting brewers.” SIBA said 2025 saw a record number of closures as breweries struggled with increased costs and debts remaining from the Covid pandemic. The organisation is calling for an increase in Draught Relief, which provides a lower rate of alcohol duty for draught beer predominantly sold in pubs. It has also urged the UK Government to publish the outcome of its review into access to the pub market. SIBA argues that improving access for
smaller breweries would give drinkers a greater choice of locally produced and independently owned beers. Mr Slee said consumer demand remained strong, but independent breweries were unable to sell their products in an average of 62 per cent of pubs within their local markets. He added: “Independent beer offers quality, variety and a range of styles and flavours, but bars are dominated by a handful of mega brands.” The picture varied considerably
across the UK. Scotland recorded the largest net fall in brewery numbers, losing nine, followed by the North East with eight. The Midlands and Northern Ireland each recorded a net decline of four breweries, while the East of England lost one. Mr Slee said: “It is encouraging to see four areas of the UK growing their number of breweries in the first half of 2026. Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come.”
Irish pilots return to RNLI station with €10,000 thank-you after dramatic sea rescue
LAST FRIDAY (August 7), two Irish pilots rescued from the sea by RNLI volunteers off the Ceredigion coast in June have returned to New Quay RNLI station to personally thank the crews involved in their rescue, presenting a commemorative clock and a €10,000 donation raised through the Irish aviation community in support of the RNLI’s lifesaving work. Six weeks ago, the pilots were rescued on Friday 26 June after their light aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea approximately 10 miles
north-west of Cemaes Head following mechanical difficulties during a flight from Ireland to Aberporth. RNLI crews from New Quay, Cardigan and Fishguard, alongside HM Coastguard, launched a coordinated rescue operation which brought both men safely ashore after their aircraft ditched in Cardigan Bay. To mark their return, volunteers from New Quay, Cardigan and Fishguard RNLI stations came together for a celebratory barbecue at New Quay lifeboat station, providing an opportunity for the crews involved in the rescue to reunite with the men
whose lives they helped save. The event was attended by the Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed, Miss Sara Edwards, who thanked RNLI volunteers for their dedication and commitment to saving lives at sea. Jim O’Connor, one of the rescued pilots said: “It’s difficult to put into words how grateful we are to everyone who helped us that evening. From the moment the rescue operation began we knew we were in the hands of highly skilled professionals. “We want to thank the crews from New Quay, Cardigan and Fishguard RNLI, as well as HM Coastguard,
for their incredible response and for bringing us safely home to our families. “The support we received after the rescue was overwhelming and we wanted to give something back. The fundraising campaign has raised nearly €10,000 so far and we hope it helps support the lifesaving work carried out by RNLI volunteers every day.” JP Smith, the second pilot added: “Meeting the crews today has been very special. These volunteers dropped everything to come to our aid, and we will never forget their kindness, professionalism and care. Ordinary people providing an extraordinary service. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. “The RNLI is a great organisation and we are proud to be able to support it through this fundraising effort.” Ed Hides, Lifeboat Operations Manager at New Quay RNLI, said: “It was wonderful to welcome JP and Jim, along with their families, back to New Quay. To see them safe and well, just weeks after such a significant rescue operation, means a great deal to everyone involved. “The presentation of the commemorative clock and this incredible €10,000 donation was completely unexpected and incredibly generous. We are hugely grateful to everyone who contributed, particularly the Irish aviation community, whose support will help our volunteer crews continue saving lives at sea.”
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How Harry Potter fans made Greenlink cable avoid ‘Dobby’s grave’ Route of £430m Wales–Ireland electricity link was altered following “hundreds” of calls about the Freshwater West memorial HARRY POTTER fans prompted planners to alter the route of a major electricity cable after discovering that it was due to pass through the makeshift “grave” of Dobby the house elf at Freshwater West. The extraordinary episode occurred during the planning of the £430m Greenlink interconnector but has only now been revealed by Simon Ludlam, who managed the project at the time. Greenlink has since been completed and has carried electricity between Wales and Ireland since February 2025. No figure has been given for the cost of changing the route, and there is no suggestion that the intervention delayed the finished project. Speaking on The Energy Revolution podcast, Mr Ludlam recalled travelling to Freshwater West for a television interview about where the cable would come ashore. He explained that it would run beneath the sea and beach before continuing through the dunes and towards the road. The interview initially appeared routine. However, after it was broadcast, Potter fans spotted that the proposed route appeared to cross the area occupied by the Dobby memorial. “We got hundreds of calls – I mean hundreds of calls,” Mr Ludlam said. A colleague responsible for the project’s permits told him that callers believed the cable was going “straight through Dobby’s grave”.
Tom Sinclair
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Mr Ludlam, who was unfamiliar with the character, recalled responding: “Dobby? Who’s Dobby?” He initially pointed out that Dobby was a fictional character from a fictional story, but his colleague warned him that the strength of feeling among fans was “very, very serious”. Mr Ludlam then met planners to determine how the route could be changed so that it went nowhere near the memorial. The alteration was made and, as he later joked: “We avoided Dobby’s
grave.” Freshwater West provided the setting for Shell Cottage and Dobby’s death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One. Fans subsequently created a memorial in the dunes, complete with a headstone bearing the words “Here lies Dobby, a free elf”. Visitors from around the world continue to leave painted pebbles, socks and other tributes at the site. The Greenlink interconnector consists of two high-voltage electricity cables and a fibre-optic cable connecting Pembrokeshire with County Wexford. According to official project
information, the 500-megawatt link runs for approximately 190km beneath the Irish Sea and underground between National Grid’s Pembroke substation and the Great Island substation in Ireland. Horizontal directional drilling was used to install the completed cable beneath Freshwater West beach and its dunes, avoiding open trenching across the beach. There are no permanent structures or visible sections of cable at the landfall. The Dobby memorial was not the only historic feature encountered near the route. Archaeological trenches uncovered the rim of what was believed to be an inverted Bronze Age collared urn dating from around 1700 to 1500BC. Such vessels were commonly associated with human burials. Mr Ludlam remarked on the irony that the project passed close to genuine Bronze Age archaeology but was ultimately redirected to protect the fictional elf’s “grave”. The memorial itself faced possible removal in 2022 when the National Trust reviewed the future management of Freshwater West. Following a public consultation, the Trust agreed that it could remain in the immediate term. However, visitors were urged to take photographs instead of leaving socks, painted stones and other objects that could harm wildlife or enter the marine environment. For now, both the Greenlink cable and Dobby’s memorial remain at Freshwater West – although safely separated beneath one of Pembrokeshire’s most famous beaches.
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Visitors invited aboard Angle lifeboat at Milford Waterfront Weekender
VISITORS will be given the opportunity to step aboard Angle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat when the Milford Waterfront Weekender returns later this month. The volunteer crew will bring the Tamar-class lifeboat Mark Mason to Milford Waterfront on Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16. Members of the public will be able to meet the crew, learn more about their lifesaving work and take a tour of the vessel throughout both days. Entry is free. The Mark Mason has served at Angle since 2009 and operates across the Milford Haven Waterway and the surrounding coastline, responding to emergencies involving both commercial shipping and leisure craft. Measuring more than 16 metres long, the lifeboat is capable of reaching speeds of 25 knots and carries comprehensive medical, navigation and rescue equipment. It is also selfrighting and carries a smaller inflatable daughter boat which can reach places inaccessible to the main vessel. The lifeboat’s appearance will form part of the wider Milford Waterfront Weekender, being held at Mackerel Quay from Friday, August 14, until Sunday, August 16. The free three-day event will feature street food from Pembrokeshire and south-west Wales, a fully stocked bar,
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live music and entertainment, along with stalls selling local crafts and other goods.
The Weekender will be open from midday until 9:00pm on Friday, midday until 10:00pm on Saturday and midday until 7:00pm on Sunday. The lifeboat is expected to be present throughout Saturday and Sunday, although access may be affected if the
operational crew is called away to an emergency. Further information and updates can be found through the Milford Waterfront Weekender and Angle Lifeboat RNLI Facebook pages.
Beach-party revellers make waves at Tenby’s Evergreen Inn THERE was no need to head for the sand as the Evergreen Inn brought the beach to The Green for an evening of tropical costumes, music and laughter. The Tenby pub’s summer beach party on Saturday (Aug 8) saw friends and regulars arrive in Hawaiian shirts, flower garlands, swimming caps, sun hats and some impressively inventive fancy dress. Karaoke provided by Richie kept the party in full voice, while Finlay looked after the celebrations behind the bar. Sharing photographs afterwards, organisers described the event as “absolutely the best fun ever” and praised the “outstanding fancy dress efforts” made by those attending.
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They said: “We are definitely the best — the Evers community!” Special thanks were also given to Paul and Kat for everything they have invested in for their customers. Judging by the smiling faces gathered beneath the Evergreen Inn sign, the event succeeded in capturing the warm community spirit for which the traditional Tenby pub has become known. And it appears the next celebration may already be taking shape, with organisers adding: “Guess we should start planning the next one!”
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Europe is heating twice as fast – and Wales cannot ignore the warning EUROPE is now the fastestwarming continent on Earth. That is not a prediction for some distant future. It is a description of the continent in which we are already living. Western Europe endured its hottest June on record this year. Across the continent, extreme heat is killing people, feeding wildfires, damaging crops and placing growing pressure on water supplies, power networks and health services. According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe has warmed by about 2.5C since pre-industrial times, compared with roughly 1.4C globally. Since the mid1990s, European temperatures have been rising by approximately 0.56C every decade. That difference demands an explanation. Part of it is simple geography. Land heats more quickly than the oceans because it takes far less energy to raise its temperature. Every continent is therefore warming faster than the seas around it. But Europe is warming faster than the other continents too. One reason is our closeness to the Arctic, the fastest-heating region on the planet. Arctic sea ice once acted like an enormous mirror, reflecting much of the sun’s energy back into space. As that bright ice disappears, it exposes darker seawater beneath. The ocean absorbs more heat, causing still more ice to melt. It is a vicious circle with consequences far beyond the Arctic Circle. The same process is happening on land. Europe’s winter snow cover has shrunk dramatically, removing another reflective white surface which once helped keep the continent cool. In March 2025, the area covered by snow was 31 per cent below the modern average – a loss roughly equivalent to the combined area of France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Weather patterns are changing
as well. Europe has increasingly experienced persistent areas of high pressure which trap hot air over the continent for days or weeks. These so-called heat domes can turn an ordinary spell of summer weather into a prolonged public-health emergency. Scientists are still examining exactly how global heating is affecting atmospheric circulation and the jet stream. The precise contribution of each factor is not yet settled. The overall direction, however, is unmistakable. There is also a paradox involving air pollution. Europe has made substantial progress in reducing the soot and other harmful particles produced by coal, heavy industry and dirty fuels. This has saved lives and improved public health. But those particles also reflected a small amount of sunlight and encouraged the formation of clouds. Cleaner air has therefore removed part of the temporary mask which concealed the full warming effect of greenhouse gases.
That does not mean dirty air protected us, nor that pollution controls were a mistake. Air pollution kills millions of people. It means only that cleaning up soot without cutting carbon dioxide exposes more of the heat already being trapped by fossilfuel emissions. For Wales, this cannot be dismissed as a Mediterranean problem. Our climate may be milder, but our homes, schools, hospitals and care facilities were generally built to retain heat rather than shed it. During prolonged hot weather, poorly ventilated buildings can become dangerously uncomfortable. Farms face heat stress, dry ground and uncertain water supplies. Firefighters face a growing risk of grassland and wildfire incidents. Roads and railways must withstand higher temperatures, while intense rainfall falling into a warmer atmosphere increases the danger of flash flooding. Here in Pembrokeshire, climate pressures also reach tourism, fishing, wildlife and the sea itself.
Warmer waters alter marine habitats, while drought restrictions, coastal erosion and extreme weather carry direct economic consequences for communities dependent upon visitors and the coast. There are two jobs before us, and neither can be postponed. The first is to cut emissions by moving away from coal, oil and gas, expanding renewable energy and improving the energy efficiency of homes and businesses. The second is adaptation. Councils and the Welsh Government need credible heat plans, resilient water systems, greater protection for vulnerable residents, better wildfire preparation and infrastructure designed for the climate we are entering rather than the one we remember. Net zero is sometimes treated as an abstract political slogan. Europe’s rapidly rising temperature shows what it really represents: an attempt to prevent an already dangerous situation becoming steadily worse. The climate has changed. Our planning, investment and political
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C SI U M E TH D N A T, H IG N E TH D N BADGER: YOU, A WHAT the world needs now is love, sweet love. Or so Jackie DeShannon warbled in the 1960s. A sound sentiment, even if you think the second line, “It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of”, misses the possibility that what the world really lacks is an abundant supply of free fish and chips. Badger was musing the other evening, as he does when he is replete with sweet and sour hedgehog and rook crackers, about the mysterious power of song lyrics to move the heart or bowels of the listener. For every “Bridge Over Troubled Water” or “Highway 61 Revisited”, there are several “Cum on Feel the Noize” and goodness knows how many “Shang-a-Langs”. For every lyrical headscratcher like “Karma Police”, there’s a bunch of Little Richards shouting “A Wop Bom A Looma A Wop Bam Boo”. Of course, readers, individual tastes in music vary from person to person and depend on several factors. Some like a rattling good tune with propulsive music arrangements - and what counts as a rattling good tune depends on the individual. Some like maudlin minor-key songs with introspective lyrics, usually sung in the sort of register most men can only reach using a stepladder or tight undercrackers or by women droning in a cod-soulful way. Another type is the poseur who is only too keen to share their love of (deservedly) obscure music made by modern-day miserablists who haven’t woken up to the fact that Muddy Waters invented electricity and that major keys are available to all musicians. All of those archetypes fade into the background when you come to the dedicated fan of a particular genre or flavour of music. It doesn’t matter what sort of music it is: folk, country, jazz, classical, death metal; a real genre fanatic is so wrapped up in their cosy little world of specialism that they are not only deaf to others’ tastes but often head towards the esoterica right on the fringe of musicality.
The poet Philip Larkin, who was also a distinguished music critic, observed that some musicians prized technical abstraction and elitist experimentation over the shared experience music engenders across class and social boundaries. The true aficionado’s identity is wrapped up in a sense of their superior sensibilities and ability to discern meaning where others hear a racket. Snobs, in other words. Badger is wittering on like this because he prizes the way music not only lyrics - binds people together in a way that abstractions cannot. A tune is something real: you hear it and react to it. In the right place and at the right time, a song, a snippet of a lyric, or a few notes create powerful responses, whether emotional, physical, or cerebral. And music is best enjoyed communally. When Badger grew up, pubs and social clubs seemed to have live music on at least once a week. Badger’s late father and sister sang in bands that regularly gigged two or three times a week. People turned up
to drink, listen, and have a night out, even when the music was comically bad. That doesn’t happen very much any more. Tastes have changed. The sort of venues that were the backbones of local music- the Miners’ Welfare Clubs, the members’ clubs and associations - their members aged and died without another generation to replace them. As social habits changed, so pub culture changed. Years ago, Badger remembers a policeman of his acquaintance telling him that Pembroke Dock was a relatively easy town to police on weekend nights, as “all the arseholes and fighters only drink in one or two places”. As he downed his second pint after last orders had sounded, the same policeman observed, “We know there are plenty of lock-ins, but as long as the neighbours don’t complain about the noise, we’ve got better things to do than knock on doors.” Generational change is one reason why pubs and social clubs closed, and those that remain have
cut down on live music. Another is basic economics. Why spend £5 or £6 a pint drinking and pay for a taxi home when you can get ten cans of the beverage of your choice for around a tenner, stay in, and not have to deal with the sort of folk Badger’s copper chum described as “arseholes”? The pleasure one might extract from a night out is markedly diminished by the presence of those who’ve come out half-cut on booze or smashed out of their tinnies on powders, pills, or potions - or intent on imbibing more to get even more smashed. Pubs were rough enough back in the 70s and 80s. Many places had a strong undercurrent of the potential for violence to take place. However, there was also a sense that punchups were not only bad for whoever was on the receiving end of a shoeing but also for the pub. The difference between then and now is that too many people have become inured to casual violence in a social setting. Those that haven’t stay at home, with the obvious corollary that those who go out to pubs are either looking over their shoulders to avoid trouble or looking for a chance to start it. The age of thuggery with a personal touch has vanished. Pubs are no longer an essential part of many communities, particularly in larger towns that lack social cohesion. They are not social centres in the way they once were. In towns, they have become machines for drinking in, just as the places in which many live have become machines for living in instead of homes. Badger firmly believes that nowadays a pub that becomes a centre for entertainment, a venue for live music, or something other than a place for the smashed and those determined to get smashed to mine the depths of their potential for indignity would be onto a winner. Live music, not recorded. Getting mellow, not ratted. Having a good night out without checking your DenPlan’s in place before leaving home. Well, a Badger can dream.
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Last surviving crew member of Moby Dick film backs Fishguard festival
THE LAST known surviving crew member from the filming of Moby Dick in Fishguard has backed plans for a major festival marking 70 years since the classic film was released. Tony Wren, now 87 and living in Majorca, was just 14 when he found himself working on John Huston’s 1956 film, which starred Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab. The Ar Ymyl y Tir 2026/On Land’s
Cerys Lafferty
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Edge Festival will take place in Fishguard from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the event will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the cinematic
release of the film, which was famously filmed off the Pembrokeshire coast. Tony recalled the “crazy summer” of 1954 when the film crew arrived in Fishguard and Goodwick. “I probably am now the only living person who worked on that film,” said Tony, who was born in Goodwick in October 1939. “I landed a job as an assistant cashier and in next to no time found myself doubling up as Pip the cabin boy!” Tony, whose family came from St David’s Place in Goodwick, was living with his parents in south London in 1954 but returned to the town for his summer holidays. The film company had arrived from filming in Youghal, Ireland, and Tony’s grandmother suggested he visit the production to see if there was work available in the kitchen. Instead, he ended up working as an assistant to Ted Lewis, the head cashier, in an office at the Bay Hotel. Tony soon became familiar with several members of the cast, including James Robertson Justice, who played Captain Boomer, Richard Basehart, who played Ishmael, and Friedrich Ledebur, who played Queequeg. A young Tamba Allen, who was around Tony’s age, played Pip, the
cabin boy. Tony said he was later asked to report to the wardrobe department, where he was made up to look like the character. “Maybe he was taken ill, but one day I was told to report to the wardrobe department where they made me up to look exactly like Pip. “Soon I was out at sea being filmed aboard the Pequod!” Tony also found himself involved in the production after filming had finished. He was placed in a chauffeur-driven black limousine and given a large Gladstone bag filled with £5 notes. His job was to distribute the money to shops and businesses used by the film company during its stay in Fishguard and Goodwick. “I received quite a welcome, particularly once people found out I was one of the Lewises from Goodwick!” he said. Tony will unfortunately miss this year’s festival as he is staying in Majorca until October. “Unfortunately, I’ll miss the Moby Dick festival as I’m in Majorca until October. “Otherwise I’d be there like a shot!” More information about the Ar Ymyl y Tir 2026/On Land’s Edge Festival can be found at onlandsedge.co.uk.
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Pictures provided by the PEMBROKESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
THE COUNTY COMES TO TOWN!
Pembrokeshire is counting down to the return of Wales’s largest county agricultural show — two days when farming, food, horses, livestock, rural skills, business and family entertainment take over the County Showground at Withybush. Organised by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, the show brings the county’s working countryside into one place. Cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry
sit at its heart; the equine programme ranges from native breeds and hunters to carriage driving, Retraining of Racehorses and British Showjumping; and the competition continues indoors with crops, flowers, vegetables, crafts and photography. Joint presidents James and Kathryn Evans are closely connected to the setting. Their mixed farm at Cottesmore — beef cattle, sheep and combinable crops, farmed
with James’s parents David and Elizabeth — lies directly opposite the showground. Their year in office gives the 2026 event a fittingly local face. The agricultural core is matched by a busy public programme: a music stage, the Welsh Food Hall, shopping and trade stands, vintage machinery, hounds, RentaDinosaur and the Torch Theatre’s mischievous pink-boots hunt. On the following pages, The Herald brings together the confirmed
programme, competition highlights, sponsors, community stands and practical information you need before setting off. WHY IT MATTERS: The Society dates its roots to 1784 and has occupied the Withybush site since 1959. After the show’s 220thanniversary celebrations and record crowds in 2025, the focus turns to the next chapter of a living Pembrokeshire tradition.
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Two days, dozens of reasons Build your visit around the fixed moments below, then leave room for the rings, stands and demonstrations that catch your eye. The show begins before the gates open. At 1pm on Tuesday 18 August, a horse-drawn carriage is due to leave Scotchwells Car Park for Castle Square, Haverfordwest, carrying the presidents and invited guests behind a pair of Shire horses. The tradition returned in 2025 after an absence of several years and is again the ceremonial curtain-raiser. TIME / DAY WHAT TO LOOK FOR TUE 18 • 1pm Presidential carriage drive from Scotchwells Car Park via Victoria Place to Castle Square; civic
welcome and stirrup cup. WED: 19 • 7.30am Entry gates open. Equine sections are scheduled from 8am; livestock, trade and public areas build through the morning. WED: 9am–1pm Craft and horticulture judging in Parkhouse. The hall opens to the public at 1.30pm. WED : 9.45am Judging begins at the 40th annual poultry and egg show, subject to any avian-influenza restrictions. WED • 4pm Long Service Awards at the President’s Pavilion, honouring at least 25 years with the same farm or employer. WED: 4.30pm Baron de Rutzen Award presentation at the Members’ Pavilion.
THU: 20 Ladies Day returns; the equine programme includes the Supreme Ridden and overall Supreme Championship. THU • 4pm: Craft and horticulture prize-giving in Parkhouse. The hall is listed as open to the public from 9am to 5.30pm. Across both days, expect the main livestock sections, equine classes, vintage exhibits, food and retail areas, the Pure West Radio entertainment stage and family attractions. RentaDinosaur is confirmed to return, while a hounds display will give visitors a chance to meet the pack and learn more about their work.
KEEP THE PLAN FLEXIBLE: Final ring orders, demonstration times and attraction sessions can move. Check the official show website and announcements on the day; showgoers can also tune to Pure West Radio on 87.7FM at the event.
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Animals remain at the heart of the show horses, side-saddle combinations, senior animals and Retraining of Racehorses all have a place.
SHOWJUMPING IN NUMBERS
From commercial cattle and sheep to tiny tots on ponies, the rings tell the story of skill, breeding and months of preparation. For all the food, music and shopping, the show’s identity is still written in the livestock lines. Cattle, sheep and pig classes bring breeders together from across the county and beyond, with judges looking for the soundness, character and quality that
turn everyday husbandry into showring success. The public gets the rare chance to compare breeds at close quarters and speak directly to the people who rear them. Poultry reaches a milestone in 2026. The Wednesday fixture is billed as the 40th annual poultry show, with classes spanning large and bantam hard- and soft-feather birds, rare breeds, juvenile and novice exhibitors,
turkeys, geese, ducks and eggs. Its running remains subject to any animalhealth restrictions in force at the time. The equine schedule is one of the broadest parts of the programme. Children’s riding ponies, show hunter ponies, working hunters, carriage driving, coloured horses and ponies, hacks, hunters, mountain and moorland breeds, Connemaras, Welsh sections A to D, Shires and heavy
Wednesday’s British Showjumping schedule runs from 80cm classes through British Novice and Discovery to 1.10m amateur and 1.15m open competition. A separate junior programme puts younger riders under the same show-day spotlight. Thursday brings the Supreme Ridden and overall Supreme Championship, judged by Huw Rees. The Future Star Championship, sponsored by Castlemorris Equestrian & Pets, gives amateur riders selected by “golden ticket” at local one-day shows a two- minute individual performance in the main ring. It is a neat bridge between grassroots competition and the county’s biggest stage. Away from the live rings, the vintage section provides another kind of horsepower. Sponsored by ACM Jenkins, it covers restored and unrestored tractors, combine harvesters, implements, stationary engines, pumps, mills and pre-1980 vehicles — working history that often sparks as many conversations as the champions.
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A showbench for the whole county Not every champion enters on four legs. Flowers, vegetables, crops, crafts, pictures and long service all earn their moment. Inside Parkhouse, the craft and horticulture hall turns household skills and garden patience into a public exhibition. Cut flowers, pot plants, vegetables, fruit and floral art sit alongside handicrafts and photography, with children’s classes giving the next generation a low-barrier way into the show. Judging takes place behind
closed doors on Wednesday morning before the hall opens at 1.30pm. The appeal is in the detail: the straightest produce, the healthiest bloom, the most thoughtful composition, the cleanest finish. These are accessible competitions, but never casual ones. Entrants plan months ahead, and a class ticket remains a small badge of county pride. Crops are judged in their own schedule, bringing the field into the same competitive story as the
showbench. LATE ENTRIES Selected sections — including craft and horticulture, vintage and some livestock classes — were accepting late entries until Friday 14 August. Anyone hoping to compete should use the live ShowingScene listings for the final position rather than relying on printed deadlines. The show also rewards contribution rather than appearance. At 4pm on Wednesday, the Long Service Awards recognise people who have completed at least 25 years with the same farm or employer. Joint president Kathryn Evans says the awards allow the Society to honour the loyalty and skill on which local agriculture depends. Half an hour later, the Baron de Rutzen Award celebrates a progressive Pembrokeshire farmer aged under 45. Judges look beyond output to technology,
environmental practice, wildlife habitat and the farm’s overall appearance. The winning farm later hosts a public walk, allowing other farmers to see the ideas in practice. The award commemorates John Frederick Foley de Rutzen, a former Society president who served with the Welsh Guards and died in 1944 at the age of 36. Alongside the Society’s £1,000 student bursaries for agriculture and allied subjects, it links achievement today with service, education and the county’s long agricultural memory. ENTRY DESK REMINDER Most standard entries are now closed. Exhibitors should check ShowingScene for late-class status, arrival instructions, passes and the latest ring timetable before travelling.
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NEWS 79
THE PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY SHOW 2026
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A COMPLETE PREVIEW
Pictures provided by the PEMBROKESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
A marketplace for rural Pembrokeshire been gathered at the Royal Welsh Show and the Eisteddfod; the wider consultation remains open until 30 September at dwrcymruplans.com. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner will explain the Police and Crime Plan, victim services and community-safety work, and recruit volunteers for custody visiting, animalwelfare visiting and the Quality Assurance Panel. The Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, describes summer
Producers, machinery dealers, charities, emergency services and public bodies make the show a working network as well as a day out. The Welsh Food Hall is the obvious starting point for a taste of the show. Every product in the hall must be made in Wales, and sponsor Castell Howell Foods helps place local and national producers in front of a two-day audience. The neighbouring retail and craft areas widen the choice, while the Country Market Paddock and marquee were already fully booked or sold out before show week. Behind the shopping lies a serious trade show. Zone B is built around agricultural and industrial machinery and allied trades. Zone C includes the funfair, military and emergency-service presence, catering and the bar. Zone D mixes retail, crafts, motor and equine businesses with charities. For farmers
it is a chance to compare equipment and services; for businesses it is one of the county’s best shop windows. A LOTTERY THAT REINVESTS LOCALLY The Pembrokeshire Lottery sponsors the Country Market Marquee. The not-for-profit scheme says that over three decades it has helped more than 500 businesses with interest-free loans and supported 2,328 jobs — a strong fit for an area built around local enterprise. Several stands add a listening and advice function. Welsh Water will use the show for “Your Water. Your Voice. Our Future”, its biggest customer consultation to date. Visitors can complete an anonymous five-minute survey on priorities for the next 25 years — investment, reliability, environmental improvement and customer support. Almost 3,000 responses had already
events as a valuable chance to hear directly from communities across Dyfed-Powys. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has also listed the show in its summer engagement programme. Political and civic conversation is part of the mix too: in his latest Blue View column, Brian Murphy says the Welsh Conservatives will have a stand where visitors can meet county councillors and Paul Davies MS.
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GAMING
With eddie the game guru
There are few settings in military games more difficult to get right than Vietnam. After decades of films, television and videogames, helicopters, jungle and distant artillery have become familiar cultural furniture. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam avoids simply recycling those images by making the conflict feel confusing, oppressive and frighteningly impersonal. You can spend minutes creeping through dense vegetation only to be killed by an enemy you never saw. The frustration is deliberate: this is a game in which survival depends less on heroics than on patience. The basic philosophy remains recognisably Hell Let Loose. This is not Battlefield with a Vietnam skin or Call of Duty dressed in fatigues. Its huge battles depend on communication, positioning and teamwork, with commanders, squad leaders and specialist roles working together rather than every player chasing their own highlight reel. When that happens, Vietnam is extraordinary. A squad moves through the trees while artillery crashes beyond a ridge, a machine gun pins down an unseen position and suddenly the battlefield seems to operate as one organism. The jungle is both the game’s greatest achievement and its greatest frustration. Trees, vegetation, rivers and ridges make it difficult to distinguish cover from concealment. An enemy might be metres away or much further off, and you often discover the difference
only when the shooting starts. Charging across an open space is rarely heroic; usually it is simply a quick journey towards death. The game rewards players who slow down, observe and resist the instinct to sprint towards every objective. Its weapons are similarly unforgiving. Gunfights are short and lethal, with little of the theatrical durability found in mainstream shooters. A burst from a concealed position can end your life almost instantly. That is exhilarating when you make the ambush work, but considerably less satisfying when you are the target. At times the jungle creates wonderful paranoia; at others, it is difficult to know whether you were tactically outplayed or simply happened to be standing beside the wrong bush. The sound design reinforces that uncertainty. Gunfire, explosions and distant combat create an impressively oppressive atmosphere, although locating the source of a shot can sometimes be unnecessarily difficult. In a game where a fraction of a second can determine whether you live or return to the spawn screen, that matters. Visually, the move to Unreal Engine 5 gives the game a strong foundation. The jungle feels dense and imposing, while weather and lighting help transform familiar terrain. Boats and other traversal options add variety, and the revised interface makes the experience somewhat more approachable without abandoning its demanding
nature. The landscape is not simply scenery; it dictates how battles are fought. The game’s greatest weakness, however, remains the same as its predecessor’s: everything depends on the people around you. A communicative squad can produce extraordinary moments of cooperation, while a silent, disorganised team can turn the game into a long walk towards an inevitable death. Hell Let Loose cannot manufacture teamwork; it can only make teamwork enormously rewarding when players choose to embrace it. That will not suit everyone. Players accustomed to instant rewards and constant action may find Vietnam slow, brutal and occasionally bewildering. Yet for those willing to accept its philosophy, that discomfort becomes the attraction. You are not the unstoppable hero of the battlefield but one soldier among many, and your most important contribution may be holding a position nobody notices or surviving long enough for somebody else to succeed. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is therefore at its best when it makes you feel small. Its jungle battles are messy, tense and unpredictable, and its greatest achievement is turning vulnerability into entertainment. It is not flawless, but when communication, atmosphere and tactics come together, it offers something increasingly rare: a military shooter that understands war is not about being the hero, but about trying to survive the chaos.
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The End of Oak Street is the kind of film that takes something wonderfully ordinary and turns it into something deeply unsettling. At first glance, Oak Street looks like a familiar suburban neighbourhood: tidy houses, family arguments and the comforting sense that, despite life’s everyday problems, the world is essentially predictable. Then everything changes. David Robert Mitchell takes this ordinary piece of suburbia and drops it into a world that is anything but ordinary, leaving the Platt family struggling to understand what has happened to their home and how they are going to survive. What makes The End of Oak Street immediately appealing is that it doesn’t simply look like another dinosaur adventure. There are certainly enormous prehistoric creatures, and the trailer makes good use of the spectacle, but the film appears much more interested in the people caught in the middle of it. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor give the central family a believable sense of tension, with their characters feeling like people who already have their own problems before the extraordinary events begin. That grounding makes their situation more frightening because the audience can recognise the people behind the spectacle. Mitchell’s direction also gives the film a distinctive atmosphere. Rather than rushing straight into constant action, The End of Oak Street appears to build an uneasy feeling that something is profoundly wrong. The contrast
between familiar suburban streets and the strange prehistoric world surrounding them is particularly effective. A road that once represented safety suddenly becomes the edge of an entirely unknown world, giving the film an unsettling quality that separates it from a conventional dinosaur blockbuster. The visual effects are naturally one of the major attractions, and the creatures shown in the trailer look impressive without completely overwhelming the human story. There is a sense that the dinosaurs aren’t simply there so the audience can watch them destroy things. Their presence appears connected to a much larger mystery, and the film seems to understand that what you don’t see can sometimes be just as effective as what you do. This gives some of the quieter moments an appealing sense of suspense. There is also a pleasingly strange quality to the whole concept. The End of Oak Street mixes family drama, science fiction, mystery, adventure and horror, creating a combination that could easily have become unwieldy. Instead, the suburban setting makes the fantastic elements feel even more bizarre, while the family dynamic provides the story with an emotional centre. The question isn’t simply what happens when dinosaurs appear, but what happens when the foundations of normal life suddenly disappear. Hathaway is well suited to the role, bringing vulnerability and determination, while
McGregor provides a grounded counterbalance. The younger members of the family add further urgency, because their presence raises the stakes beyond simple survival. Every decision becomes more complicated when the characters are trying to protect the people they love. Perhaps the biggest compliment that can be given to The End of Oak Street is that it feels like an original idea at a time when cinema is increasingly dominated by familiar franchises. It may have the scale of a summer blockbuster, but its central concept is unusual enough to make it feel like something worth seeing on the big screen. There is a mystery running through the film that encourages the audience to keep watching not simply to find out who survives, but to understand exactly what has happened to Oak Street. Ultimately, The End of Oak Street looks like a welcome change of pace: a big-screen science-fiction adventure with dinosaurs at its heart but a family drama at its centre. It has the scale for the cinema, the mystery to keep audiences guessing and enough genuine weirdness to distinguish it from the familiar blockbuster formula. Whether it completely sticks the landing remains to be seen, but the premise alone makes it one of the more intriguing original releases of the summer. For anyone looking for spectacle, suspense, family drama and plenty of prehistoric chaos, The End of Oak Street looks well worth the trip.
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Tech ‘n Taff
All the robots in Japan, and nobody wants to press the button NOW then, butt. Japan. Land of bullet trains, robot dogs and toilets with more controls than the lighting desk at the Eisteddfod. You would think artificial intelligence was running the whole country by now, wouldn’t you? I pictured office robots making the tea, answering emails and bowing politely while telling the managing director his quarterly figures were down. Not so, bach. Only 8.4 per cent of Japanese workers use AI as part of their jobs, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Eight point four per cent! I nearly dropped my Welsh cake into the keyboard. The comparable figure is around 50 per cent in America and 32 per cent in Britain. In Singapore, more than half of workers are said to use AI several times a week. Japan, meanwhile, is standing beside the starting line checking whether everybody has filled in the correct form. For a country with an ageing population, a shortage of workers and the lowest productivity in the G7, this is a bit like having a shiny new tractor in the shed while Dai is still trying to plough the top field with a donkey and a length of washing line. There’s progress, then Now, the Japanese government says 75 per cent of companies are using AI, up from 11 per cent five years ago. Tidy. Job done. Nothing to see here. Well, steady on, boyo. There is a difference between a company having AI and its workers actually using it. I have a rowing machine in the spare room, but nobody looking at me would describe this household as a centre of elite sporting performance. Many Japanese firms have bought an AI system, run a little trial or allowed three young employees in the corner to use it for emails. That is not the same as letting AI loose across the business. Buying one rugby ball does not mean you have assembled a side capable of beating the Springboks. It means you have bought a rugby ball. In most Japanese workplaces, AI remains restricted to simple jobs such as drafting messages, summarising documents and finding information. Allowing it to make decisions, deal with customers or carry out a
complicated chain of tasks is another matter entirely. It has been invited into the chapel hall, see, but nobody has offered it a key to the vestry. Nobody wants to be blamed Japanese businesses are famous for making decisions through consultation and consensus. Everyone must be heard, every concern must be considered and everybody must be comfortable before the company moves. There are advantages to that. It stops some overexcited executive returning from California in a polo neck and spending £10 million on a digital miracle he saw between the free coffee and the airport. But consensus can also move at the speed of a council meeting discussing parking outside the rugby club. Everybody agrees there is a problem. Everybody agrees action is urgent. Then somebody proposes a working group, somebody else requests further information and Dai at the back asks whether the minutes from the previous meeting have been approved. Eighteen months later, the roof is still leaking. American firms tend to take the opposite approach. They let AI have a go, see what catches fire and call the damage “valuable learning”. Japanese companies want proof that nothing can possibly go wrong before the machine is allowed near a customer. And to be fair, there is nothing daft about worrying. Generative AI can produce spectacular nonsense with total confidence. It is like the bloke in the
pub who knows the answer to every question after three pints, including questions nobody asked him. Ask it for a report and it may invent a statistic. Ask it for a legal case and it may create one. Ask it to write about Welsh history and Owain Glyndŵr could end up captaining Wales against England at Twickenham. Japan built its industrial reputation on reliability. Its cars start, its cameras work and its trains do not regard a timetable as an aspirational document. When quality is part of your national identity, handing important work to a machine that occasionally makes things up is going to cause a few tight collars in the boardroom. Computers older than the office junior The other problem is that many Japanese companies are trying to build the future on computer systems from the past. Around 60 per cent of corporate systems are reportedly more than 20 years old. Some hospitals have not fully digitalised their patient records and are still surrounded by great mountains of paper. You cannot just sprinkle a bit of AI over that lot and shout, “There we are, digital transformation!” That is like fitting a Formula One engine to an old Transit van from Pontypridd. It may sound impressive when you start it, but the passenger door will still fall off near Newport. Japan also faces a severe shortage of people with the right skills. It could be short of almost 800,000 IT professionals by 2030. The Japanese may love gadgets, but owning a clever telephone is not the same as understanding how artificial intelligence works. My mam had a microwave for 15 years and
used only one button. Everything went in for two minutes, including things that should never have gone in at all. Technology is only useful when people are confident enough to use it properly. Silicon Valley calls that “disruption” Yet Japan also has fewer young workers every year. Hospitals, offices and public services may need AI not to sack people, but to keep operating when there are not enough people available to do all the work. There’s the pickle. A younger generation is having a go Change is coming, mind. Some large Japanese businesses are recruiting graduates specifically for their AI skills. Younger workers are already using the technology to write emails, record meetings and turn complicated documents into something the boss might read before lunchtime. What remains rare is the AI “agent”, a system that can complete several connected jobs without needing a human to prod it after every step. Japan’s government has passed a light-touch AI law and says it wants the country to become the friendliest place in the world for developing and using the technology. A lovely ambition. Whether anybody in the boardroom is prepared to sign the form is another question. Barrie’s takeaway Japan is not frightened of machines. Japan is frightened of machines making mistakes, embarrassing the company, upsetting customers and putting loyal workers out of a job. Those are sensible worries, butt. The answer is not to charge ahead like an American billionaire who has just discovered the word “innovation”. Nor is it to spend six years forming a committee to consider the possible establishment of an AI working group. Start small. Train people properly. Keep a human responsible for important decisions. Use AI where it saves time, not merely where it looks impressive in the annual report. Japan will embrace workplace AI eventually. When it does, it will probably use it more carefully and reliably than the rest of us. But first there will be a meeting. Then another meeting about the first meeting. And possibly a subcommittee to decide who should press the button. Until next week, Taff.
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HOROSCOPES Click to
There are few figures in modern football who could sustain a three-part Netflix documentary quite like José Mourinho. He is a manager who has spent more than two decades creating an image as carefully as he has built football teams, and MOURINHO is at its most compelling when it looks beyond the famous press conferences, touchline confrontations and extravagant celebrations to explore the man behind the mythology. What makes the documentary particularly fascinating is that Mourinho’s career is packed with moments that already feel like television drama: Champions League triumphs with Porto and Inter Milan, title-winning spells at Chelsea, the intensity of Real Madrid, his turbulent time at Manchester United and the countless rivalries and controversies that have followed him wherever he has gone. Rather than simply presenting a greatesthits package of his career, the series attempts to examine why Mourinho became such a powerful figure in football and why, at the same time, he has proved so divisive. The presence of some of the biggest names from his career gives the story real weight, with former players and rivals offering perspectives on a manager who inspired extraordinary loyalty as well as considerable resentment. John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Čech, Iker Casillas, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Sir Alex Ferguson are among those contributing to the story, providing
perspectives that Mourinho himself cannot: distance. That matters because the greatest strength and weakness of any documentary about Mourinho is Mourinho himself. He is an extraordinary storyteller, articulate and completely aware of his own legend, but he is also unlikely to surrender control of that legend easily. There is an intriguing tension throughout the series between the Mourinho we have been presented with for years and the person underneath the “Special One” persona. Some of the most interesting material comes when that armour slips, particularly when he discusses decisions that could have changed football history, relationships with clubs and players, and the emotional side of a career usually remembered through trophies and controversy. The documentary also benefits from the sheer scale of Mourinho’s career. Few managers have accumulated such a remarkable collection of victories, personalities and conflicts, and the filmmakers have an extraordinary amount to work with. There is nostalgia here, but also room for uncomfortable questions about his methods, his relationships and whether the confrontational style that helped make him successful eventually became part of the problem. That is where MOURINHO has the potential to rise above the standard football documentary. The danger is that a project centred so heavily on one of football’s greatest self-publicists could become
too polished, too respectful and ultimately too willing to allow Mourinho to have the final word on his own history. A documentary about Mourinho should not simply celebrate the trophies; it should challenge the contradictions. He was the manager who could make players feel ten feet tall and opponents desperate to knock him down, the coach who could create extraordinary loyalty while simultaneously starting battles that consumed enormous attention, and the winner who seemed almost as interested in proving people wrong as he was in winning itself. Those contradictions are what make him fascinating and what make this Netflix series worth watching. MOURINHO feels less like a conventional football documentary and more like an examination of one of the sport’s most complicated modern personalities. Whether you admire him, dislike him or simply miss the days when football managers could dominate the headlines as much as their players, there is no denying that Mourinho has lived a remarkable football life. The real question is whether Netflix manages to reveal something genuinely new about him or simply gives the Special One another stage on which to tell his story. Either way, with this much history, this many personalities and Mourinho at the centre of it all, MOURINHO promises to be essential viewing for football fans and one of Netflix’s most intriguing sporting documentaries of the year.
ARIES Many social possibilities might randomly occur today, which makes this a wonderful day to get out and schmooze with everyone! Love at first sight might begin. Fun outings related to sports, playful activities with kids and the arts will delight and please you! TAURUS You’re keen to express yourself to others today! You’ll be convincing, which is good news for those in sales, marketing, teaching, writing or acting. Nevertheless, your primary focus now is on home and family. Caution about work-related romance. GEMINI This week begins with a busy, eager pace! Short trips and conversations with daily contacts, siblings and relatives will interest you. You’re working hard to earn money and spend it. (See the Moon Alert for today!) When it comes to romance, be careful. Wait until tomorrow. CANCER You are careful with money, which is a good thing. Be aware of the restrictions of the Moon Alert today and avoid spending (except for food and gas), because you will be tempted to do so with three planets in your Money House. Meanwhile, make no promises at home. LEO You hold all the cards this week because the Sun, Mercury and lucky Jupiter are in your sign. Looking good! However, today, don’t feel pressured by others into saying something, doing something or committing to something you don’t want. Be cautious. Check the Moon Alert! VIRGO Stay on your toes today, because there are lots of opportunities available to you, especially going on behind the scenes. They might help you financially in terms of income, earnings, your job or perhaps a major purchase. A parent, boss or someone in power might surprise you as well. LIBRA This is a fantastic day to schmooze with others. Interactions with clubs, groups and friends will be successful and friendly. You’ll enjoy talking to younger people, who, in turn, will listen to you because you’re ambitious and charming. Go after what you want! Romance is blessed! SCORPIO Don’t overreact if you think you’re dealing with a passiveaggressive situation with someone. Confused communications are happening everywhere today. People might be innocent due to misinformation or not enough information. Stay cool. SAGITTARIUS Grab every opportunity to travel or explore avenues in publishing, the media, medicine and the law. You will benefit in these areas today. In fact, something fantastic might drop in your lap! Meanwhile, romance with someone “different” might begin. CAPRICORN Financial discussions will go well today because doors will open for you. In fact, something might surprise you or catch you off guard. Be ready for this. Act quickly; this window of opportunity will be brief. Meanwhile, romance is affectionate and passionate! AQUARIUS People want to talk to you today. Be aware for this, and be prepared to cooperate and go more than halfway. Because you’re willing to work hard, you’ll attract eager, clever people to you today. Look for ways to expand your world through travel or insights! PISCES This is an industrious week. You’re motivated to work hard, and you’ll be pleased to accomplish a lot. However, today issues about shared property, taxes, debt and inheritances are fuzzy. Knowing this, don’t act. Do not agree to anything important. Furthermore, restrict your spending to food and gas during the Moon Alert.
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International musicians head to Tenby for four-day music festival INTERNATIONAL musicians from across Europe, North America and Asia are heading to Pembrokeshire next week as the Tenby International Music Festival returns for its second year. The four-day festival, running from Thursday, August 13 to Sunday, August 16, brings concerts, new compositions, family events and free performances to St Mary’s Church, Tenby Museum & Art Gallery and the town centre. Founded last year by Welsh musicians Thomas Mathias and Dominic Ciccotti, the festival aims to establish Tenby as a destination for high-quality classical music while retaining a strong Welsh and community focus. One of the biggest developments for 2026 is the launch of the Tenby International Composer Fellowship. The tuition-free programme attracted 256 applications from more than 30 countries, from which just three composers were selected. Welsh composer Fiona Frank will be joined by Americans Bea Carr and Will Stackpole, whose new works will be performed during the festival finale on Sunday. The fellowship is directed by Los Angeles-born composer Kian Ravaei, who is also one of the festival’s composers-in-residence alongside Welsh composer Katie Jenkins.
Tom Sinclair
editor@herald.email
Co-artistic director Thomas Mathias said: “Our ambition is simple: to make Tenby one of the UK’s great destinations for classical music. “We believe world-class music shouldn’t only belong in major cities — it should belong in communities like Tenby.” The festival gets under way on Thursday afternoon with an open-air concert in Tenby town centre at 2pm, followed by the Colours of the Coast
children’s concert at Tenby Museum & Art Gallery at 5pm. The opening day culminates at 7.30pm when Tenby Male Choir joins festival musicians for a special concert at St Mary’s Church. Led by musical director Paul Rapi, the choir was founded in 1975 and has performed everywhere from Pembrokeshire churches to London’s Royal Albert Hall. Friday evening’s programme, Prague to Paris: A Piano Journey Across Europe, will feature music by Mozart, Liszt, Debussy, Mendelssohn,
Elgar and Dvořák, including Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 and Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances. On Saturday, Fire and Fiddle will turn the spotlight on Hungarian music, with works by Dohnányi, Bartók and Monti alongside Brahms’ Hungarian Dances. The festival concludes at 5pm on Sunday with From the World to Wales, bringing contemporary Welsh and American compositions together with traditional Welsh music. The concert will also provide the first opportunity to hear the new works written by this year’s three Composer Fellows. Among the musicians appearing across the four days are Welsh violinist and artistic director Thomas Mathias, pianist and co-artistic director Dominic Ciccotti, Japanese pianist Yuki Minami, violinist Hana Mizuta-Spencer, violist Gordon Cervoni and cellist Zachary Owen. Dominic Ciccotti said organisers were keen for the festival to appeal to newcomers as well as established classical music audiences He said: “Whether someone is attending their first classical concert or has loved this music for decades, we want everyone to feel welcome.” Tickets and the full programme are available at www.tenbymusicfestival. com.
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Opinion By editor Tom Sinclair
Farage’s Clacton comfort zone should be a warning to Wales
The Reform leader may win his seaside sideshow, but mainstream parties must confront public anger without copying his divisive politics NIGEL FARAGE should have little difficulty defeating a man wearing a dustbin on his head. In Clacton, at least, Count Binface is his most visible opponent. Labour and the Conservatives have declined to give Farage the contest he wanted: a grand “people versus the establishment” showdown staged on his safest ground. He chose Clacton because it is his political comfort blanket, where a loyal local audience can deliver a national verdict. But a constituency vote cannot settle allegations about party finances. If the authorities have questions to ask, they must ask them. Winning a byelection does not amount to an acquittal, however loudly Farage says otherwise. That distinction matters because Farage’s politics depends on
collapsing accountability into popularity. When an institution helps him, it expresses the will of the people. When it restrains or scrutinises him, it becomes part of a conspiracy by judges, civil servants, journalists and metropolitan elites. Wales should pay close attention. Reform has become adept at taking genuine public anger — over struggling services, unaffordable housing, insecure work and remote government — and directing it towards migrants, refugees and minorities. The problems are real. The proposed villains are convenient. It is easier to blame the family speaking another language in the supermarket than to explain why a rural bus route disappeared, why a young couple cannot buy a home, or why recruiting doctors and dentists has proved so difficult. It is easier to shout “invasion” than to produce a serious plan for rebuilding communities hollowed out by decades of underinvestment.
That does not mean immigration policy is beyond debate. Governments are entitled to control borders and enforce the law. But there is a clear line between controlled migration and the politics of collective suspicion. Too many politicians approach that line as if Farage has moved the centre ground and everyone else must shuffle obediently after him. In Wales, that would be especially poisonous. Welsh identity, at its best, is civic rather than racial. It is rooted in place, language, community and participation — not a blood test. A person can arrive here from Poland, Syria, Nigeria or Essex and become part of the national story. Our confidence as a nation should be strong enough to welcome contribution without surrendering the right to debate numbers, resources or integration honestly. The danger is that Reform’s version of British nationalism turns every Welsh failure into fuel for resentment while offering little that
would strengthen Wales. Cardiff Bay is far from perfect; too many people feel ignored by it. But replacing democratic frustration with culturewar fury will not reopen a surgery, build a council house or bring skilled employment west of the M4. Farage also faces pressure from further to his right. The emergence of Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain shows how quickly yesterday’s hard line becomes today’s compromise. Once politics accepts that migrants are the cause of national decline, the argument never ends. Falling migration will not satisfy the movement; attention simply shifts to people already here legally, their homes, their citizenship and their right to public services. That is the ratchet Britain must stop. Farage may win in Clacton because his opponents have left him a largely empty ring. But his national support is neither limitless nor inevitable. Most people in Wales and across Britain want safe borders and cohesive communities. They also want to live decently alongside neighbours of different colours, faiths and origins. Those views are not contradictory. The answer to Reform is not to mimic its language in a nervous attempt to retain voters. It is to address the failures on which it feeds, defend fair rules, and refuse the suggestion that cruelty is evidence of seriousness. Count Binface can provide the joke in Clacton. From Friday onwards, the serious work belongs to every party that still believes democracy is more than the loudest man declaring himself “the people”.
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Paul Sartori Foundation to open new flagship Haverfordwest store
New Snowdrop Lane community store will open its doors on Friday, August 14, helping raise vital funds for hospice-at-home care across Pembrokeshire THE PAUL SARTORI FOUNDATION will officially open its new flagship community store in Haverfordwest on Friday, August 14. Supporters, customers, volunteers and members of the wider community are being invited to join the celebrations as the Pembrokeshire charity opens its largest retail space to date. The new Sartori Community Store, located in the former Factory Shop building on Snowdrop Lane, marks a significant expansion of the charity’s retail operation. Senior members of the Foundation team will be joined by some of its original trustees to officially open the store and celebrate what the charity describes as an exciting new chapter in its history. The much larger premises will allow Sartori to offer an expanded range of high-quality pre-loved and new goods, with proceeds supporting the Foundation’s hospice-at-home services. Those services are provided free of charge to people across Pembrokeshire, helping patients with
life-limiting illnesses to receive care and support in their own homes. The new store is also intended to become more than simply a retail outlet. Plans are being developed for creative, educational and informative groups and activities, with the additional space providing a new community hub in the county town. Leading the team will be Derrick Noakes, who previously managed the Foundation’s successful Narberth Sartori Store. Derrick said: “I’m incredibly excited
to be managing this fantastic new store and welcoming both existing and new customers through the doors. “The additional space gives us a wonderful opportunity to expand what we offer, create a real community hub and help raise even more funds for the Foundation’s essential hospiceat-home services. “Having previously managed our Narberth store, I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to Haverfordwest and helping make this new flagship store a real destination
for shoppers, supporters and the wider community. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone on opening day and show them everything the new store has to offer.” The Foundation’s long-standing Bridge Street shop has now closed, following a final closing-down sale on July 31 and August 1. Stock is now being transferred and the retail team is preparing the new premises ahead of Friday’s opening. Meanwhile, the Foundation’s existing Snowdrop Lane premises will become a dedicated warehouse, donation drop-off point and mobility centre, providing improved facilities for processing donated items as well as offering larger second-hand mobility aids and equipment. The new flagship store will be open seven days a week, from 9:30am until 5:00pm Monday to Saturday and from 10:00am until 4:00pm on Sundays. The Paul Sartori Foundation said it was looking forward to welcoming the community through the doors on August 14, with every purchase helping to fund hospice-at-home care throughout Pembrokeshire.
Still time for Pembrokeshire children to take on Summer Reading Challenge
FAMILIES across Pembrokeshire are being reminded that there is still plenty of time for children to join this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. With the school holidays just past the halfway point, libraries throughout the county are inviting children of all ages to sign up for the free challenge and read six books before returning to the classroom. This year’s theme, Read to the Beat, celebrates the connection between reading and music while encouraging children to discover new
stories and authors. Reading during the summer holidays can help children retain the skills developed during the school year, expand their vocabulary and return to the classroom feeling confident and ready to learn. Reading for pleasure can also encourage imagination, creativity and a lifelong love of books. Children can join the challenge free of charge at their local library. Participants will collect rewards as they work their way through six books, with those completing the challenge receiving a medal and certificate.
The 2026 challenge is particularly special as it coincides with the National Year of Reading. With support from the Welsh Government and the Books Council of Wales, Pembrokeshire Libraries are offering an additional selection of prizes for children who complete the challenge. Everyone who reads six books will be entered into prize draws, with prizes including a family festival ticket and tickets for local cinemas and theatres. Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’
Services, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many children already taking part, but it’s certainly not too late to join. “The Summer Reading Challenge is a brilliant way to keep children reading during the holidays while having fun at the same time. Every book counts, and our libraries are full of wonderful stories waiting to be discovered. “With some fantastic prizes on offer this year as part of the National Year of Reading, there’s never been a better time to sign up.”
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COLUMN
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Clacton is a town, not Farage’s discarded chip wrapper Our feathered columnist flies east and finds politicians, reporters and professional sneerers circling a seaside community SQUARK! Stephen Seagull ’ere, reporting from the roof of a slightly rusty van down Milford Haven Docks. I’ve been casting one beady eye towards Clacton, where the town centre is bustling, the beaches are packed and the pier is taking more money than a gull with a stolen contactless card. The sunshine has helped, obviously. So has Count Binface, whose promotional videos have done more for the place than some humans with actual parliamentary salaries. From above, Clacton looks like what it is: a busy seaside town full of families, workers, pensioners, shopkeepers, landlords, tenants, teenagers, toddlers and tourists dropping enough chips to support a substantial seabird population. But since Nigel Farage arrived, Britain has stopped seeing Clacton as a town. It has become a television set. Every reporter in the country appears to have been dispatched to stand outside Wetherspoons and ask the same six people what they think about migrants. Social media has turned the place into a human zoo, where strangers can point through the bars and shout: “Look at the thick racists! Look at the toothless old fools! They deserve everything they get!” CAWWW! There’s nothing quite like the tolerance of people who claim to despise prejudice while sneering at an entire working-class community. Farage won Clacton with 46 per cent of the vote on a turnout of 58 per cent. That means plenty of residents voted for him, but it does not mean the whole town gathered beneath a full moon and pledged allegiance to Reform. Some voters undoubtedly swallowed the bait whole. I’ve seen herring with better judgment. But the other parties hardly covered themselves in glory. Too many treated Clacton as a lost cause before the contest had even begun. People who felt ignored voted for the man shouting loudest about how ignored they were. Ye don’t need to agree with the decision to understand it. Since then, Farage has occasionally returned for photographs with businesses and charities. He resembles one of those ceremonial mayors with a chain, except the chain is made from television
appearances and American air miles. The pictures go on Facebook and his supporters declare that he is working tirelessly for Clacton. But photographs ain’t representation, butt. By one published count, Farage raised Clacton in the Commons only six times. Compare that with MPs representing places such as Colchester and Ipswich and the difference is difficult to ignore. The people of Clacton did not elect a celebrity guest. They wanted an MP. They wanted somebody to notice the homeless people sleeping in former bank doorways or pitching tents along the coast. They wanted somebody to ask why rail travel has become unaffordable, why health outcomes are deteriorating, why decent jobs and affordable homes are so scarce, and why the town has neither an A&E department nor maternity care after 5pm. Those problems are complicated. They cannot be solved with a turquoise bus, a slogan about migrants or another photograph outside a café. Now the election circus has rolled back into town. Anti-migrant leaflets have dropped through letterboxes. Placard-wavers in
silly hats have shouted in the square. Anti-racism campaigners have been abused, while giant political posters glare down from buildings. The atmosphere has become hostile and exhausting. And once again, reporters are searching for the angriest person available. Find somebody outside the pub, ask a loaded question, clip the most inflammatory sentence and upload it before teatime. That is not journalism about Clacton. It is content farming with a microphone. I know something about scavenging, me lovers, but even I leave a bit of dignity behind. The strangest thing is that ordinary life continues beneath this great political performance. People still go to the gym, collect children from nursery, buy groceries, meet friends, walk dogs and sit on the beach. Away from the cameras, hardly anybody is talking about Nigel Farage. His leaflets are being abandoned unread in communal hallways. Many residents appear too bored or exhausted to vote. They are angry with Farage, but they are also sick of hearing his name.
My prediction? Turnout will be low. Farage will finish well ahead, Count Binface may come second and commentators will blame Clacton for failing to deliver the hilarious result they wanted. The insults will begin again. Thick. Racist. Gullible. Deserving of their fate. Then the cameras will leave. Clacton will return to worrying about the things that actually shape life in a seaside town: housing, landlords, litter, parking, potholes, public services and whether the summer takings will stretch far enough to survive the winter. Farage has used Clacton as a platform. Much of the media has used it as clickbait. The political class has treated it like a discarded chip wrapper — useful for a moment, then left flapping in the gutter. But Clacton is not Farage. It is not a punchline, a laboratory or a human zoo. It is a community, and communities deserve more than slogans, sneering and the occasional celebrity flypast. And believe me, I know a celebrity flypast when I see one. Now pass me the chips. Stephen Seagull Milford Haven Docks
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PETS CORNER
Cool heads and cold water: protecting dogs from summer heat
A FEW simple changes can make hot days safer and more comfortable for dogs — but every owner should also know the warning signs of heatstroke. When temperatures climb, dogs cannot cool themselves as efficiently as people. They rely mainly on panting, and a routine walk, game in the garden or journey in the car can become dangerous far sooner than many owners expect. A fresh advice note sent to The Herald this week by dog food company Years suggests a number of simple ways to keep pets comfortable. Its chief executive, Darren Beale, says owners should pay particular attention to the paws, belly and inner thighs, where there is less fur, rather than simply soaking the animal’s back. For a dog which is hot but otherwise well, try offering a cool place to lie down. Close curtains in the sunniest room, circulate air with a fan and allow access to tiled or hard floors. A cool, damp towel can be placed on the floor for the dog to lie on, but never drape
it over the animal because that can trap heat. Frozen enrichment can also help. A suitable rubber toy or treat-filled Kong can be chilled, while small pieces of dog-safe vegetables such as carrot, cucumber or green beans can provide a cooling crunch. Always supervise chewing, avoid anything small enough to become a choking hazard and introduce unfamiliar foods cautiously. There is no need to force a long walk simply because it is part of the usual routine. Indoor sniffing games, puzzle feeders and short training sessions provide mental stimulation without strenuous exercise. If a walk is necessary, go in the coolest part of the early morning or later evening, take water and check that paths and pavements have cooled. Warm surfaces can continue radiating heat after sunset. For Pembrokeshire owners, the beach may seem cooler, but exposed sand, limited shade and an excited dog racing beside the sea can still lead to overheating. Carry drinking water rather
than relying on seawater, find shade and turn around if your dog slows down. Some animals need extra care. Puppies, older dogs, overweight animals, large breeds and dogs with heart or lung conditions may struggle sooner. Flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs, French bulldogs and pugs are particularly vulnerable because their shortened airways make panting less effective. Owners should watch for heavy or noisy panting, excessive drooling, restlessness, bright red or unusually pale gums, lethargy, vomiting, wobbliness or poor coordination. Collapse or loss of consciousness is an emergency, but action should begin before a dog reaches that stage. If heatstroke is suspected, stop exercise and move the dog immediately to a cool, well-ventilated place. The British Veterinary Association’s current advice is to offer small amounts of cold water if the dog can drink and pour cold water over the body to bring its temperature down,
then seek urgent veterinary advice. Do not force water into the mouth and keep it away from the head and airway. The RSPCA describes the correct order as “cool first, transport second”. It advises using water which is cooler than the dog, concentrating on the neck, stomach and thighs, and creating a breeze with a fan if possible. A conscious, otherwise healthy dog may be placed in cool water, but elderly, unconscious or medically vulnerable animals require more care. If in doubt, call a vet while cooling is under way and follow their instructions. Never leave a dog in a parked car, conservatory, caravan or outbuilding on a warm day, even for a short time. Shade, ventilation and constant access to fresh water are essentials, not optional extras. The best summer outing is one your dog can enjoy safely. On the hottest days, cancelling the walk, moving play indoors and letting them snooze somewhere cool may be the kindest choice of all.
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West Wales universities asked to reveal recruitment and graduate-retention figures UWTSD and Aberystwyth University have been asked to explain how they intend to tackle low participation and keep more graduates in Wales as ministers prepare a major review of higher education
Agreement remains at an early stage UWTSD said the agreement could lead to clearer progression routes, stronger links between further and higher education and improved access to expertise across the two institutions. A UWTSD spokesperson said: “The MOU between UWTSD and Aberystwyth University will explore opportunities where collaboration can create additional value and opportunities for students, communities, employers and the region. “This could include clearer progression routes, stronger tertiary education pathways, improved access to expertise across institutions and enhanced opportunities that help students progress into further study, employment and lifelong learning.”
The university said the agreement’s significance lay in its focus on participation, regional development and the long-term benefit of mid and west Wales. Aberystwyth University described the memorandum as a framework under which possible projects would now be examined. A spokesperson said: “The next phase of work will focus on identifying practical opportunities for collaboration and agreeing shared priorities. “As that work progresses, both institutions will consider where joint initiatives can deliver tangible benefits for students, employers and for Wales.” Neither response directly addressed whether closer structural integration or a merger between the institutions had been discussed. The latest HESA figures, reproduced by Study in Wales, list a total student population of 15,415 at UWTSD, including 12,800 undergraduates, and 8,970 at Aberystwyth University, including 7,375 undergraduates. Those headline totals do not reveal how many students come from individual west Wales counties. Warning over Welsh university review The Herald approached the universities following the publication of Y Gorau Oll: Making Wales the best place in the UK to be a student by the Post-18 Project. The report warns that the Welsh Government’s forthcoming review of higher education
must not become simply an “accountancy exercise” focused on keeping institutions financially afloat. It was written by Gwenno Roberts, president of the Welshlanguage students’ union UMCA at Aberystwyth University, and higher-education commentator Jim Dickinson. The authors argue that students must be treated as partners in the review rather than as a cost appearing in university and government spreadsheets. Only 32.5% of Welsh 18-yearolds applied to higher education in 2025, compared with 41.2% across the UK. The report also states that 27% of Welsh graduates were working outside Wales 15 months after completing their studies in 2022/23. More recent figures from Medr show a significant difference depending on where Welsh students study. Among Welsh students who attended a university in Wales, 88% of those responding to the 2023/24 Graduate Outcomes survey remained in Wales for work. However, only 45% of Welsh students who attended universities elsewhere in the UK had returned to work in Wales 15 months after graduating. Student support and Welsh-medium provision The Post-18 Project has made eight principal recommendations, including protecting Wales’s maintenance-
support system and updating payments to reflect wages and rising living costs. It also wants students facing illness, disability, caring responsibilities or financial pressure to be allowed to reduce their study load without suddenly losing essential financial support. Other proposals include transferable university credits, stronger student representation, improved research into student finances and mental health, preparation for Wales’s return to Erasmus+ and a national student-employment strategy. The universities were asked whether those ambitions could realistically be achieved when the Welsh Government has required the review’s recommendations to be fiscally neutral. Neither university addressed that question directly. UWTSD said it welcomed the review and looked forward to providing evidence “so that we can secure the long-term sustainability of our universities”. Aberystwyth University said many of the priorities covered by its agreement with UWTSD were also being considered by the Welsh Government review and that it looked forward to contributing. The review is expected to examine university finances, student support, participation, graduate destinations and Welsh-medium provision. An interim report on funding and student support is expected in summer 2027, with the full report due in winter 2027–28.
EDUCATION
between
largest universities remains at the planning stage, with practical opportunities and shared priorities still to be identified. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Aberystwyth University signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July, promising to strengthen educational pathways, increase participation and support regional development. However, responding to questions from The Pembrokeshire Herald and Herald.Wales, neither university identified a specific joint project, numerical target or delivery timetable. The universities were also asked for recruitment and graduate-retention figures, including the numbers of students drawn from Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. Both referred the Herald to figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and said they did not publish regional breakdowns of their student populations. Neither supplied an institutionspecific figure showing what proportion of its graduates were working in Wales—or specifically mid and west Wales—15 months after completing their studies.
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A NEW partnership two of west Wales’s
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Fenton Vets’ Pembroke Dock plans to move to new site
Planning application seeks move to larger premises at West Llanion Park Industrial Estate
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FARMING
A CALL to move a longestablished Pembrokeshire vets’ Pembroke Dock branch to provide greater business security has been submitted to county planners. In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Fenton Veterinary Practice Ltd, through agent Pembroke Design Ltd, is seeking a change of use of Inspectorate House, West Llanion Park Industrial Estate, Pembroke Dock to a veterinary practice, its current branch at the town’s Kingswood Trading Estate. A supporting statement says: “Established in 1950, Fenton Vets have remained proudly independent over the years, driven by a core team of local vets who ensure their service is delivered for the benefit of the Pembrokeshire community.” It adds: “They were the first practice in Pembrokeshire to provide separate, dedicated vets to treat farm animals and pets, both within and outside of opening hours. This ensures that the vet you see is familiar with your situation and able to provide a personal service. “In this way Fenton Vets are committed to partnering with farmers across the county, as well as supporting pet owners from their practices in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock.”
It goes on to say: “The original site was in Haverfordwest town centre when the business was called Peters and Partners. As the business grew it moved to the current Haverfordwest site [at 21 Portfield], where it has continued to grow and evolve, always with а focus on remaining independently owned by vets working in the business. “Endless expansion does not meet that aim, nor is it realistic within our locality, but reaching а certain size facilitates rota management for clinical staff and
stability for a business. That aim was behind the opening of the branch in Pembroke Dock at Unit B, London Road Shopping Mall, Kingswood Trading Estate, about 12 years ago in an established dog grooming business. “Although the grooming aspect has stopped, the branch has become a well-established part of the business.” Of the proposed relocation, it says: “The primary motivation for a new site is the business security of owning the building. The fact that it is a larger building
obviously gives the potential for expansion, but the plan for the foreseeable future is to develop and staff the new site like-for-like with the current branch.” It says external changes will be minor, internal arrangement “will alter to cater for the veterinary needs for small animals,” adding: “Relocating from their current location will allow Fenton vets to tailor the building to their specific needs.” The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.
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Farmers urged to check cobalt levels ahead of 2027 lambing Hidden deficiency can leave newborn lambs slower to suckle and less likely to thrive
SHEEP farmers preparing for the 2027 lambing season are being urged to check the cobalt status of their flocks, with sub-clinical deficiency capable of affecting lamb survival without producing obvious warning signs in ewes. Cobalt is needed by microorganisms in the rumen to produce vitamin B12, which plays an important role in energy metabolism, growth and general health. However, the amount available to grazing livestock can vary considerably between farms and over time, making deficiencies difficult to identify without testing. Dr Alison Bond, Technical Services Manager at livestock nutrition company Rumenco, said changes in soil pH and organic matter, intensive cropping and periods of heavy rainfall or flooding could all influence cobalt availability. “Cobalt is particularly important as it is required in the synthesis of vitamin B12 by rumen microorganisms,” she said.
“Where vitamin B12 is deficient, sheep can suffer poor growth rates, weight loss and anaemia.” Of particular concern is subclinical deficiency, where animals may appear healthy despite having insufficient cobalt. Research carried out by the former Scottish Agricultural College found that cobalt deficiency in pregnant ewes could have significant consequences for their offspring. The peer-reviewed study, published in Research in Veterinary Science, compared cobalt-sufficient ewes with animals experiencing subclinical deficiency. Researchers found that deficient ewes produced fewer lambs and experienced higher levels of stillbirth and neonatal mortality. Lambs born to deficient ewes were also slower to begin suckling and showed lower vitamin B12 levels. Dr Bond said the findings demonstrated why farmers should not rely solely on visible symptoms. “In this instance, cobalt was making
the difference between what many would see as trouble-free lambing, with good results going forward, and a problematic situation with lambs less likely to thrive,” she said. With the tupping period approaching for many flocks, farmers are being advised to review mineral provision rather than assume grazing and conserved forage will continue to meet requirements. Testing forage and assessing the trace-element status of animals, in consultation with a vet or livestock nutrition adviser, can help establish whether supplementation is needed. Advice published by Scotland’s Rural College similarly stresses that trace-element requirements can vary considerably between farms because of differences in soils and geology. It recommends that supplementation decisions are based on evidence, including appropriate blood sampling where necessary. Dr Bond said the increasingly variable weather experienced by livestock farms added another reason
to monitor mineral status. “In the last two years alone, we have seen excessive rainfall and extensive flooding, which has increased the amount of nutrient leaching from soils,” she said. “More regular forage analysis is advisable, in many cases, to identify any gaps in nutrient availability and ensure adequate supplementation is provided. “With the unprecedented weather events that we’re increasingly seeing, it is far safer to increase testing than to assume grazing and forage quality remains the same.” Where a deficiency is identified, a number of supplementation methods are available, including appropriate mineral feeds, drenches and longeracting boluses. Farmers are advised to discuss the most suitable option with their vet or nutrition adviser, as trace elements should not be supplemented indiscriminately and excessive levels of some minerals can themselves cause health problems.
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Pembrokeshire and North Wales projects extended in fight against bovine TB
Two pilot projects helping farmers and vets to tackle bovine tuberculosis are being extended, following success in Pembrokeshire and North Wales. Today’s announcement (11 August) comes as the Cabinet Minister for
Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd, met project participants at the Anglesey Agricultural Show. 28 farms and 12 veterinary practices, supported by Aberystwyth University, are trialling tools and approaches where farmers and vets
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are working closely together to take action, tailored at herd level, to identify and manage TB risk in their cattle, improve biosecurity and protect herds and businesses from TB. On farms in North Wales and Pembrokeshire, changes have been made to herd husbandry and management practices, cattle purchasing and biosecurity measures to keep disease out. Farmers and vets are sharing experiences and using data to take action, including the voluntary removal of high-risk animals on farms as a preventative measure. As well as demonstrating success on trial farms, the approach is attracting interest beyond Wales, including recognition in the Godfray Review and in Northern Ireland’s Bovine TB strategy. The Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability said: “TB is a dark shadow over the family farm, not only the financial aspects though of course that’s important, but the strain and anxiety
the disease causes. “These projects show the power of farmers, vets, researchers, APHA and Welsh Government working together. Together, we can break this vicious cycle.” Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Dr Richard Irvine, welcomes the announcement: “The success of the projects in North Wales and Pembrokeshire show us that collaboration is key, and I commend all involved for their work to date. “Both projects clearly show farmers and vets developing herd-level and local TB actions together – to reduce TB risks in affected herds, and to keep the disease out. “Through partnership and using a range of tools, information and approaches, positive action can be taken to combat TB. “Findings from the continued work of these projects will also help inform work to refresh the TB eradication programme in Wales.”
FARMING 93
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Support available for farmers as dry weather continues
Farmers and growers facing another period of dry weather can access practical support available to help them cope. Agriculture is highly vulnerable to heatwaves and dry conditions, which can reduce yields, damage grasslands, threaten livestock welfare and place increasing pressure on water resources. While today’s conditions are difficult, research shows that future generations will be farming in much more challenging conditions because of climate change, making early adaptation essential. The Capital Production and Efficiency grant is now open, and farmers can apply for funding towards climate adaptation measures such as boreholes, water harvesting
equipment, and ventilation systems including fans for cattle housing. Farmers who have entered the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) or delivering preparatory scheme contacts, who may be struggling to meet requirements because of the weather, are encouraged to apply for a temporary derogation via their RPW online account, including photographic evidence showing the condition of the crop. Given the exceptional conditions this year, requests will be looked at favourably and responded to promptly. The Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd, said: “We recognise the pressures facing farmers and growers
during prolonged dry weather conditions, including impacts on livestock, crops, and farm businesses. “That’s why we want farmers to know about the support available, whether through our Capital Grants scheme, or the flexibility on offer under the Sustainable Farming Scheme. “We’ve announced more than £1bn this Senedd term to support sustainable agriculture, and, through our Water Reform Programme, we will take full control of water in Wales, now and for future generations.” Farmers with concerns about animal welfare should seek immediate advice from their vet. Practical guidance on caring for farm animals and horses in extreme weather is available on the Welsh Government’s website.
The prolonged dry weather is placing immense pressure on Welsh farms. Grass growth has stalled, winter fodder is already being used and water supplies are becoming an increasing concern. As the farming community continues to navigate these challenges, it is important to recognise another remarkable effort undertaken during this dry spell a group of individuals hiking an incredible 1,012 miles around the circumference of Wales to raise awareness for Prostate Cymru, and raising almost £300,000 for the charity in the process. Prostate Cymru is a cause particularly close to the heart of the Farmers’ Union of Wales. Last month, at the Royal Welsh Show, following the re-election of FUW President Ian Rickman, we were pleased to announce the charity as one of our Presidents’ Charities for 2026–2029, alongside Tir Dewi. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men. Around one in five men in Wales will be diagnosed during their lifetime – the equivalent of more than 2,500 men diagnosed each year – with around 640 losing their lives to the disease. Strikingly, men in farming and rural
areas are statistically less likely to receive an early diagnosis of cancer. Distance from healthcare services, limited time to attend appointments, and, perhaps most importantly, a reluctance to discuss personal health can all contribute to this issue. Resilience is something we rightly value in farming. We deal with difficult weather, long days, financial pressures and whatever else the farm throws at us. However, being resilient should not mean ignoring our health or putting off getting something checked. Looking after ourselves is just as important as looking after the farm. Prostate cancer can develop without obvious symptoms in its early stages. Age and family history can also increase the risk, so knowing your own risk is important. If you are concerned about your health, are over 50, or have a family history of prostate cancer, speak to your GP about your risk and whether you should be tested. We spend so much time looking after our farms, our livestock and our families. We need to make sure we look after ourselves too. Taking the time to have a conversation, seek advice or get checked could make a lifechanging difference.
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Award-Winning Hyundai IONIQ 9 Rewrites the Flagship Rulebook with New Calligraphy Black Ink
MOTORS
Hyundai is expanding the award-winning IONIQ 9 lineup with a distinctive flagship variant. The all-electric threerow SUV, built on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP architecture and defined by its signature ‘Aerosthetic’ design, gains an even more refined character through the new Calligraphy Black Ink trim. Further elevating its visual presence, Hyundai’s flagship model is finished with a carefully curated combination of black exterior and interior design elements enhancing its eye-catching appearance while retaining the luxurious feel, generous equipment levels and sophisticated driving experience that have earned IONIQ 9 recognition across Europe, including German Premium Car of the Year 2026, Best Seven-Seater at the 2026 Parkers New Car Awards, Best 7-Seater Electric SUV at the 2025 TopGear.com Electric Awards, and World’s Best Large SUV at the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) Awards. “IONIQ 9 has established itself as an award-winning flagship EV recognised for its distinctive design,
outstanding driving experience and comprehensive feature offering” says Christopher McKinnon, Vice President, Head of Product and Product Director Office for Europe at Hyundai Motor Europe. “With Calligraphy Black Ink, we have enhanced the vehicle’s visual character of through carefully integrated design details, creating an even more distinctive interpretation of our flagship electric SUV while everything customers value most about the model across Europe.” Key Highlights of Calligraphy Black Ink: •
• •
•
Available for IONIQ 9 as a new flagship trim positioned above the current Calligraphy specification Two exterior colours: Serenity White Pearl and Abyss Black Pearl Distinctive black design package including a matte black front Hyundai emblem, model-exclusive 21-inch Calligraphy Black Ink alloy wheels and gloss black rear garnish Premium interior featuring black Nappa leather seats, a black pure leather-
wrapped steering wheel and black-finished real aluminium dashboard trim Calligraphy Black Ink builds on the already extensive specification of IONIQ 9’s flagship Calligraphy trim, which includes features such as a Nappa leather interior, distinctive Calligraphy design elements, and an optional six-seat configuration with Universal Island 2.0 allowing customers to tailor the vehicle to their lifestyle and everyday needs. Which exterior elements
distinguish Calligraphy Black Ink? To ensure Hyundai’s flagship model stands out, Calligraphy Black Ink is distinguished by a matte black Hyundai front emblem, dedicated 21inch alloy wheels and a gloss black rear garnish. These elements create a confident and cohesive visual identity that complements the clean, aerodynamic proportions of IONIQ 9. Reflecting its distinctive character, Calligraphy Black Ink is available in just two exterior colours: Serenity White Pearl and Abyss Black Pearl. The result is a refined design that achieves a stronger visual presence through subtle detailing rather than unnecessary complexity. Inside, Calligraphy Black Ink continues the exterior design theme with a carefully coordinated black interior. Black Nappa leather seats, a black leather-wrapped steering wheel and blackfinished real aluminium dashboard trim contribute to a more harmonious cabin that enhances the sense of craftsmanship, sophistication and luxurious atmosphere of the spacious architecture of IONIQ 9. The new IONIQ 9 Calligraphy Black Ink will be introduced across European markets in line with regional launch schedules. Pricing and availability details will be announced by the respective local Hyundai organisations closer to launch.
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MOTORS 95
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VAUXHALL CORSA - 2015
1.4i ecoFLEX Energy Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (a/c) (90 ps) ** PETROL....... 5 SPEED.......1 PREVIOUS OWNER.........LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 70,530 MILES......... SERVICE HISTORY 6 STAMPS........£35 ROAD TAX......... LOW INSURANCE GROUP 6............67 MPG..
£5,495
BMW 1 SERIES - 2015
KIA SPORTAGE - 2014
TOYOTA IQ - 2010
FORD FIESTA - 2008
2.0 CRDi KX-2 SUV 5dr Diesel Auto AWD Euro 5 (134 bhp) ** DIESEL......... AUTOMATIC 6 SPEED........4 WHEEL DRIVE.........LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 72,293 MILES.........SERVICE HISTORY 9 STAMPS. .
1.33 Dual VVT-i 3 Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual Euro 4 (s/s) (98 ps) ** PETROL......6 SPEED....... 1 PREVIOUS OWNER...........LOW MILEAGE YES ONLY 43,016 MILES..........SERVICE HISTORY 11 STAMPS.........£35 ROAD TAX........ 67 MPG........
1.25 Zetec Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual (133 g/km, 81 bhp) ** PETROL.........5 SPEED........LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 35,537 MILES...........SERVICE HISTORY......... 2 KEYS........£170 ROAD TAX.....
£7,295
CITROEN C3 PICASSO -2013
1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps) ** AUTOMATIC 8 SPEED.........DIESEL........LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 79,471 MILES..........£20 ROAD TAX........ . 2 KEYS....... 78 MPG.......
1.6 VTi Exclusive MPV 5dr Petrol EGS6 Euro 5 (120 ps) ** AUTOMATIC 6 SPEED...............PETROL....... LOW MILEAGE YES ONLY COVERED 42,607 MILES........FULL SERVICE HISTORY 10 STAMPS.........1 PREVIOUS OWNER........2 KEYS........ 58
VOLKSWAGEN UP! - 2014
RENAULT CAPTUR - 2019
1.0 High up! Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 5 (75 ps) ** PETROL.......5 SPEED.......LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 60,320 MILES.........SERVICE HISTORY 5 STAMPS........LOW INSURANCE GROUP 2..........£20 ROAD TAX..
0.9 TCe ENERGY Iconic SUV 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (90 ps) ** PETROL.......5 SPEED........ 1 PREVIOUS OWNER........98,541 MILES......... SERVICE HISTORY....
£7,495
£5,995
FORD FOCUS - 2015
1.0 ZETEC 5d 124 BHP ** PETROL......6 SPEED......ONLY COVERED 69,115 MILES FROM NEW.......£20 ROAD TAX.........60 MPG.......ZETEC EDITION.......MEDIA SCREEN........ BLUETOOTH.......AIRCON........STOP START.........ALLOYS.......NICE EXAMPLE
£4,995
£4,995
£6,395
£4,695
£4,695
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VAUXHALL CORSA - 2015
1.2i Sting Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (70 ps) ** PETROL.........5 SPEED...........LOW MILEAGE ONLY COVERED 70,388 MILES..........SERVICE HISTORY 10 STAMPS........ 2 KEYS.........LOW INSURANCE GROUP 2........ 62 MPG.........STING EDITION...
£4,795
l
TOYOTA YARIS - 2016
BMW X1 - 2015
FORD B-MAX 2014
1.33 Dual VVT-i Icon Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (99 ps) ** PETROL.......6 SPEED...... 1 PREVIOUS OWNER......YES ONLY COVERED 29,354 MILES........SERVICE HISTORY 4 TOYOTA MAIN DEALER STAMPS.
2.0 20d M Sport SUV 5dr Diesel Auto xDrive Euro 5 (s/s) (184 ps) ** AUTOMATIC 8 SPEED..........DIESEL........ 97,029 MILES.........SERVICE HISTORY 9 STAMPS......... 2 KEYS...
1.4 Zetec MPV 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 5 (90 ps) ** PETROL.......5 SPEED.........1 PREVIOUS OWNER.........92,834 MILES...........SERVICE HISTORY 8 STAMPS........£195 ROAD TAX......
HONDA HR-V - 2017
MINI CONVERTIBLE - 2016
BMW Z4 - 2011
1.5 Cooper Convertible 2dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps) ** PETROL........CONVERTIBLE......6 SPEED.......£35 ROAD TAX........57 MPG.........2 KEYS.........COOPER EDITION........HALF LEATHER SPORTS SEATS.......MEDIA SCREEN.
2.5 23i M Sport Highline Edition Convertible 2dr Petrol Manual sDrive Euro 5 (204 ps) ** PETROL.......CONVERTIBLE......6 SPEED........MILEAGE 115,991 .........SERVICE HISTORY 8 STAMPS...
£8,995
1.6 i-DTEC EX SUV 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (120 ps) ** DIESEL......6 SPEED.... 1 OWNER FROM NEW.......111,320 MILEAGE..... FULL HONDA MAIN DEALER SERVICE HISTORY 11 STAMPS.......2 KEYS.......£200 ROAD TAX.......... 72 MPG.
£7,995
£6,495
£5,995
£4,495
£7,495
DACIA SANDERO 2017
AUDI A1- 2012
DACIA SANDERO STEPWAY 2015
VOLVO XC60 - 2015
1.0 SCe Ambiance Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (75 ps) ** PETROL........5 SPEED......... 1 OWNER FROM NEW........FULL SERVICE HISTORY......... LOW INSURANCE GROUP 4..........67 MPG.........AMBIANCE EDITION....
1.4 TFSI Sport Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (122 ps) ** PETROL.......6 SPEED.........1 PREVIOUS OWNER.......SERVICE HISTORY..........2 KEYS....... £170 ROAD TAX...........64 MPG........SPORT EDITION.
0.9 TCe Ambiance Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (90 ps) ** PETROL.......5 SPEED......... 1 OWNER FROM NEW.........LOW MILEAGE YES ONLY COVERED 63,951 MILES........... SERVICE HISTORY 6 STAMPS...
2.4 D4 SE Lux Nav SUV 5dr Diesel Auto AWD Euro 6 (s/s) (190 ps) **DIESEL.........6 SPEED AUTOMATIC......... SERVICE HISTORY 6 STAMPS......... CAMBELT AND WATER PUMP DONE AT 113,000 MILES.......2 KEYS........£215 ROAD TAX..
£3,995
.
£4,995
£4,695
£6,995
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MOTORS
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MOTORS 99
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CHERY UK reaches record 2% UK market share in July Chery achieved a record 2% share of the UK new car market in July, registering 3,212 vehicles. This latest success comes less than a year since the brand launched in the UK. Electrified models led the way, accounting for more than 70% of Chery’s July registrations. These include the Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) models, whose plug-in hybrid powertrains combine all-electric running for day-to-day journeys with the convenience and flexibility of a highly efficient petrol engine for longer trips. The award-winning TIGGO 8 CSH was the brand’s best-seller for the month by far, recording a total of 1,117 registrations. Designed with families in mind, this seven-seat SUV offers an electric-only range of up to 56 miles and CO2 emissions from only 31g/km (WLTP). Farrell Hsu, Managing Director at Chery UK, said: “Reaching a 2% share of the UK market in July is a significant milestone, and one we’ve achieved in less than a year. This reflects just how quickly UK customers have embraced Chery, and the exceptional value, usability, and quality our vehicles deliver. “This momentum is underpinned by the incredible strength of Chery Group. In the first half of this year, the company ranked among the world’s top 10 automotive groups, and became the first from China to surpass a total of 20 million sales globally. This scale gives us the resources and expertise to design and develop exceptional vehicles with all the features and technologies that customers want as standard, yet offer them at attainable prices – our latest record sales performance in the UK reflects this.”
Chery Group’s record-breaking July performance, with 202,533 international deliveries, means it has also become the first Chinese automaker to exceed 200,000 units in a single month. From January to July, total international deliveries reached 1.146 million units, a 71.2% yearon-year increase - meaning a Cherymanufactured vehicle heads to the global market every 16 seconds. Every Chery is backed by a seven-year vehicle warranty, with CSH models also benefiting from an eight-year hybrid battery warranty, reflecting the brand’s commitment to quality and customer confidence. Making the TIGGO 7 CSH, TIGGO 8 CSH, and TIGGO 9 CSH even
more compelling is an exclusive 0% APR finance offer, available until 31 August. For full details and terms and
conditions, customers should visit their local Chery retailer or the Chery Vehicle Offers Website.
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BUSINESS
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Pembrokeshire campsite named among UK’s outstanding holiday destinations
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BUSINESS
A PEMBROKESHIRE holiday park has been named among the UK’s outstanding campsites for 2026, offering families a range of activities and attractions for the summer holidays. Folly Farm Holiday Park is included in the annual Outstanding Sites List from Campsites.co.uk, which highlights some of the UK’s top camping, touring and glamping destinations. The list recognises sites offering a range of facilities and experiences for families, including swimming pools, farm
parks, organised activities, entertainment and access to beaches. Folly Farm Holiday Park, located next to the popular Folly Farm Adventure Park, gives families easy access to a range of attractions, including giraffes, lions, penguins and farm animals, as well as vintage fairground rides and indoor and outdoor play areas. Children can also enjoy mini diggers, race cars, climbing frames and soft play, while the campsite itself features a play park and games room with pool and table tennis.
The site also offers family bathrooms, free WiFi, a licensed shop and occasional food truck visits. Families can also make use of the cafes and restaurants at the nearby adventure park. Folly Farm Holiday Park has received a 4.98-star rating from guests, with 100% of reviewers saying they would recommend the site to others. One recent guest described the facilities as “second to none”, while another called it “one of the best” holiday parks they had visited. The park was also named
Best Family Campsite in South Wales at the 2025 Campsites. co.uk Awards. Martin Smith, founder of Campsites.co.uk, said: “It’s a real pleasure to launch our list of outstanding sites for 2026. The chosen campsites are all trusted favourites with our campers, and sites we’re proud to put our name to, so you can book with confidence.” Other family-friendly Pembrokeshire sites recognised on the list include Quarry Park Camping, Oaklea Camping and Glamping Park and Llanungar Caravan and Camping.
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Pembroke choir serenades Halsted’s DIY for 60th anniversary A PEMBROKESHIRE family business marked 60 years of trading with an open-air concert in the summer sunshine. Halsted’s DIY Ltd celebrated the milestone outside its premises at The Commons, Pembroke, on Saturday (Aug 1), with music provided by Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir. Company director David Halsted, who is also chairman of the choir, invited his fellow choristers to help give the anniversary celebrations a memorable musical flourish. Musical director Juliet Rossiter led the performance, assisted by compère Matthew John and accompanist Bev Davies. Guest soloists Mirelle Ryan and Kees Haymans also took part in the varied programme. The concert reached a rousing conclusion with An American Trilogy, conducted by deputy musical director Ian Williams. Several former choir members and friends joined the choristers for the finale, including the Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes, who had officially opened the event. Among those enjoying the celebrations was Mrs Myfanwy Halsted, who founded the business with her late husband Derek in 1966. Their sons, David and the late John Halsted, took over the running of the company 30 years ago. Halsted’s remains one of South Pembrokeshire’s longest-established and best-known family businesses.
Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir members join Halsted’s staff and guests following the anniversary concert. (Pic: Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir) The anniversary performance brought another busy summer week to a close for the choir. On the previous Tuesday, the choristers entertained a full house of more than 80 people at St Mary’s
Church in Angle, where they were welcomed by Chris Hirst. The audience included visitors from Germany. Pembroke flautist Elys Phillips also made an impressive debut as a guest soloist with the choir. Her four-
piece programme included a striking arrangement of the Welsh national anthem, and the choir said it looked forward to welcoming her back at future concerts.
Pembroke Power Station scheme starts running this week Project is first of 16 new clean grid stability technologies supporting Britain’s transition to renewable energy THE FIRST in a new wave of clean grid technology is to start spinning in Pembroke this week, as the National Energy System Operator (NESO) helps keep Britain’s electricity system stable as it moves towards a renewables-led energy system. The synchronous condenser, built by RWE at its existing Pembroke power station site, is a large rotating machine that provides clean inertia. Inertia is a key characteristic of the electricity system that helps resist sudden changes in frequency following unexpected disturbances. It acts as a natural shock absorber, helping to maintain a stable and secure flow of electricity to homes and businesses. Historically these services were provided by large spinning generators at coal, gas and nuclear power stations. The project in Pembroke is the first of a new wave of 16 synchronous condensers under NESO’s Stability Pathfinder programme, delivering new ways to keep the electricity system reliable as more wind and solar power comes online. The stability technologies will help cut emissions, strengthen energy
Bruce Sinclair
Local Democracy Reporter
security, and save consumers up to £9bn in system costs over the years ahead. Director of Engineering at NESO, Matt Magill, said: “Projects like Pembroke will help reduce emissions, strengthen energy security, and save
consumers up to £9bn as Britain moves towards a clean power system. “Through our world-leading Stability Pathfinder programme, NESO has pioneered new markets for technologies such as synchronous condensers and Britain’s first gridforming batteries. Together, they are helping replace services traditionally provided by fossil fuel power stations, while maintaining one of the world’s
most secure and reliable electricity systems.” This is the fourth synchronous condenser to go live in Wales and the first to be built by RWE at its Pembroke Net Zero Centre. The location brings together battery storage, carbon capture, and green hydrogen projects on the site of its gas-fired power station. Chief Executive Officer of RWE Generation SE, Nikolaus Valerius, said: “The successful commissioning of our new synchronous condenser at Pembroke is an important milestone for the project and for the wider electricity system. “As more renewable generation connects to the grid, technologies like this will play an increasingly important role in maintaining a secure and reliable electricity network, supporting the Government’s ambition to deliver a clean power system while strengthening resilience.” The programme currently provides 17.2 GVAs (gigavolt-ampere seconds) of inertia to Britain’s electricity network. The next phase will add a further 26.9 GVAs, more than doubling the amount of clean stability available on the system.
102
HEALTH
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Founder of hospice in St Davids says auction ‘will not be halted’ Founder Margaret Burnett MBE and patron Baroness Finlay support auction of Shalom House despite community appeal
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HEALTH
THE FOUNDER and patron of a north Pembrokeshire hospice, which is up for auction after closing last year, have supported the decision to offer it for sale. Shalom House in St Davids closed its doors last October due to ‘ongoing financial difficulties and a lack of sustainable funding’. The hospice provided holistic, accessible and personalised care to people with life-limiting conditions, including cancer, and other life limiting illnesses, such as MND, Parkinson’s and COPD. It was based in a five-
bedroom bungalow on Nun Street, St Davids, gifted to the charity by romantic novelist Elizabeth de Guise. The hospice opened its doors to patients in 2007 after more than a decade of fund raising throughout Pembrokeshire. Margaret Burnett MBE, a former district nurse, spearheaded the campaign for a hospice in Pembrokeshire. Beginning in 1994 before retiring as a trustee in 2012. Since the hospice closed, two of its rooms were used as a branch surgery for patients who used to use St Davids Surgery,
which closed in October 2024. The property is listed as a five-bedroom detached modern bungalow and will be sold by auction. It is listed with West Wales Properties at a guide price of £450,000. The property is described as a ‘versatile property offering exceptional potential for a range of uses, including continued healthcare or commercial use, bed and breakfast, or conversion into a spacious residential home, subject to the necessary planning consents.’ The listing says that Shalom
House ‘offering outstanding potential in a sought-after location’. In a joint public statement over the sale and auction of Shalom House, founder Margaret Burnett MBE and patron Baroness Finlay said: “As founder and patron of Shalom House, we are issuing this joint statement to provide absolute clarity regarding our position on the upcoming public auction of the Nun Street property. “We are fully aware that a group of local community members and beneficiaries have approached the board of trustees requesting that the auction be halted. We understand the deep emotional attachment to the building and the local desire to retain the premises. Clearly not for palliative care respite. “However, as founder of this charity and alongside our patron Baroness Finlay, we wish to state unequivocally that we fully support the board of trustees in their decision to proceed with the auction. The auction will not be halted. “Our position is firm and our reasoning is rooted in law, history and the original spirit of the charity.”
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More than 11,000 patients receive urgent NHS eye care at Pembrokeshire opticians Every optometry practice in the county offers the service as demand across the Hywel Dda region rises by more than eight per cent
MORE than 11,000 patients received urgent NHS-funded eye care from community optometrists in Pembrokeshire last year, new figures have revealed. Hywel Dda University Health Board said 11,486 patients in the county were treated under the Wales General Ophthalmic Services urgent eye-care scheme during 2025/26. Every optometry practice in Pembrokeshire currently provides the urgent service, meaning patients with many sudden or worrying eye conditions can be examined on the high street without first attending a hospital emergency department. Across the wider Hywel Dda area, which includes Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, 36,085 patients received urgent or enhanced eye care during the year. That was an increase of more than eight per cent compared with the 33,276 patients treated during 2024/25. The figures were released after research by the Association of Optometrists suggested that hundreds of thousands of eye-related visits to emergency departments in England could instead be managed by specially trained community optometrists. The English research does not directly apply to Wales, where a national community eye-care service is already in place. Under Wales General Ophthalmic
Services, known as WGOS, patients can access different levels of NHSfunded care through local optometry practices. WGOS2 provides urgent and enhanced eye care, including examinations for acute eye problems, additional investigations following a sight test and follow-up appointments after urgent conditions or cataract surgery. During 2025/26, 17,268 patients across Hywel Dda were treated for
acute eye problems under WGOS2 Band 1. A further 14,068 received additional investigations under Band 2, while 4,455 were seen for follow-up care under Band 3. The Health Board said it did not currently hold figures showing whether the community service had reduced eye-related attendances at Withybush or Glangwili emergency departments. It said the information would need to be requested through
a Freedom of Information application. Sally Hodson, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s optometric adviser, urged anyone with concerns about their sight or eye health to contact their usual or nearest optometrist as soon as possible. She said: “Optometrists have the training and equipment to assess, diagnose and manage many eye conditions and will refer on where appropriate. “People should seek the advice of an optometrist if they have symptoms including sudden changes in vision; flashes or floaters; red, painful or sore eyes; loss or reduction in vision; itchy, gritty or watery eyes; foreign bodies or eye injuries, or any worry about worsening sight. “The urgency of the appointment will be determined and an appointment offered in an appropriate timeframe. “If the optometrist decides an examination for an urgent eye problem is required, it is funded by the NHS and won’t cost anything. Early detection and treatment can help prevent permanent loss of vision.” The Health Board said it completes an Eye Health Needs Assessment every three years to identify gaps in services, including provision in rural communities and access outside normal working hours. Patients who are unsure where to seek help are advised to consult the Eye Care Wales website or NHS 111 Wales. Serious injuries and immediately life-threatening emergencies should still be treated through emergency services.
104
POLITICS
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Pension campaigners: ‘Values must mean something in practice’
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POLITICS
Hundreds of local 1950s-born women remain affected as campaigners urge Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reopen compensation talks
HUNDREDS of women across Pembrokeshire remain caught up in the long-running State Pension dispute as local campaigners launch a fresh appeal to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey for compensation talks. Pembrokeshire campaigner Jackie Gilderdale, who has been prominent in the fight for 1950s-born women for years, is calling on the Government to agree to independent mediation and put what campaigners describe as Labour’s own “evidence-based compensation framework” back on the table. The issue has particularly strong roots in Pembrokeshire. In 2021, Pembrokeshire County Hall in Haverfordwest was illuminated purple in support of the campaign, with local organisers at the time estimating that around 15,000 women across the county’s then two Westminster constituencies were affected. The Herald
covered that demonstration at the time. Following the subsequent boundary changes, almost 7,000 1950s-born women are estimated to be affected in Ceredigion Preseli alone, the constituency which includes much of north Pembrokeshire. The Herald reported on their continuing campaign last year. The issue therefore affects thousands of constituents represented by both Labour’s Henry Tufnell in Mid and South Pembrokeshire and Plaid Cymru’s Ben Lake in Ceredigion Preseli. Mr Lake has been a longstanding supporter of the campaign and has previously called for compensation. After the Government agreed to reconsider its position in late 2025, he said women deserved “certainty and long overdue redress”. However, hopes of a payout were subsequently dashed. The Government’s
latest decision accepts that the Department for Work and Pensions committed maladministration which resulted in a 28-month delay in beginning direct communications with affected women.But ministers have again rejected financial compensation, arguing that most women knew the State Pension age was increasing and that establishing a scheme covering millions of women would be unfair, impractical and poor value for taxpayers. The Government set out that position in June. Campaigners refuse to accept that the matter should now be closed. The 1950s Women Justice Alliance, a UK-wide coalition of regional pension groups, says Labour spent almost two years working with campaigners, the All-Party Parliamentary Group and pensions expert Lord Bryn Davies on an alternative compensation framework while
in opposition. Ms Gilderdale said: “Labour tells us its values are about tackling inequality, challenging injustice and ensuring that circumstances do not determine people’s lives. “Yet when it comes to 3.6 million women who suffered as a direct consequence of government policy and acknowledged maladministration, those values appear to have been put aside. “This was not bad luck. These women were failed by the state. The Ombudsman established maladministration. “Labour itself recognised the injustice and worked with campaigners and pensions experts to develop an evidence-based compensation framework. That framework should now be restored to the table.” The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman concluded that maladministration had occurred in the way State Pension age changes were communicated. It recommended a financial remedy, assessing the six women whose cases it examined at a compensation level of between £1,000 and £2,950. Campaigners argue that compensation does not have to involve one enormous immediate payment from the Treasury. They say the framework developed previously envisaged payments being made over a fixed period and argue that resources within the National Insurance Fund mean a structured settlement remains possible. Ms Gilderdale said: “There is money in the pot. The National Insurance Fund has substantial resources, while Labour’s proposed compensation framework was designed around payments being made over a fixed period rather than as one unaffordable lump sum.
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Concerns raised about campervans parking Saundersfoot residents raise concerns over motorhomes parking in village streets
blue view Di Clements County Cllr for Martletwy
WITH THE significant increase in the number of motorhomes, camper vans and self-converted camper vans, concerns have been raised by one Pembrokeshire seaside village about the number of vehicles parking in residential streets. Saundersfoot South county councillor Cllr Chris Williams, in his monthly report for residents, followed on from concerns raised in May about concerns raised by residents regarding camper vans and motorhomes parking on residential streets within the village. “The concerns raised include vehicles obstructing access, parking for prolonged periods in residential areas, waste disposal, and the overall impact on residential streets. “I appreciate that the vast majority of visitors are respectful and contribute positively to our local economy, but it is important that residents’ concerns are also recognised and addressed.” Following this, Cllr Williams wrote to the county council asking for their views on the matter and what options may be available, later sharing that response. “The issues you raise, relating to obstruction, access, waste and general amenity, are consistent with concerns that have been raised elsewhere across Pembrokeshire. Whilst
Bruce Sinclair
Local Democracy Reporter
these issues tend to be sporadic, they are becoming more prevalent during peak visitor periods. “That said, I am not aware of widespread instances during the recent half-term of motorhomes, camper vans or self-converted camper vans parking inappropriately beyond the locations that have been reported.” It highlighted a relatively recent proposal for dedicated campervan sites in several locations in the county which has not been progressed, a sole overnight stop near Fishguard’s ferry terminal, being the only one currently operating as a trial. “Previous attempts to address this matter have encountered a number of challenges, including local opposition in some areas (which has, in some cases, resulted in vandalism), objections from established caravan and camping site providers, and policy limitations at Cabinet level. “Although Pembrokeshire has an excellent supply of high-quality campsites, not all visitors choose to use these facilities, and capacity can vary significantly across the county. “It is also worth noting that the recent Bank Holiday and
half-term period experienced exceptionally good weather, resulting in very high visitor numbers. Many public car parks reached capacity, leading to displacement of vehicles onto available sections of the public highway. “Ownership of motorhomes, camper vans and self-converted camper vans has also increased significantly in recent years. Whilst options were previously explored through the proposed ‘Pembs Stop’ scheme to provide additional overnight facilities, the proposal was not progressed. This has left limited formal alternatives and has contributed to vehicles parking in unsuitable locations.” Cllr Williams added: “Whilst I appreciate the detailed response from the county council, I believe this issue warrants a wider discussion across Pembrokeshire. Motorhome tourism continues to grow, and whilst we should continue to welcome visitors to our county, we also need to ensure there is appropriate infrastructure and suitable locations available. “Finding the right balance between supporting tourism and protecting the quality of life for residents is essential. In my view, the lack of suitable alternative provision represents a missed opportunity, both in supporting our visitor economy and reducing pressure on residential streets.”
This week I have been in Scotland and there has been lots of discussions about the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields, as the consultation period comes to an end. The Conservatives, under Kemi Badenoch, are quite clear on this, we cannot stop drilling in the North Sea. To stop producing our own energy is a recipe for disaster as we will be reliant on other countries. As recent events in Ukraine and Iran have shown the supplies could easily be turned off. No responsible government should allow the country to be vulnerable to the whims of dictators or unstable administrations across the world. Labour’s Net Zero policies have cost jobs and made energy more expensive, despite their promise to reduce bills by £300 at the last election. It hasn’t happened. And it will not happen if we remain tied to importing fuels at high prices. Their plans do not add up. The Conservatives have a plan which will provide secure, reliable, cheaper energy and give job security to highly skilled
professionals based in the UK. This week sees the byelection in Clacton, where a record 34 candidates are standing. This is an election which was not necessary and only came about because of Nigel Farage’s vanity. Not only is it a waste of time, but it is also a huge waste of taxpayer’s money. If Farage is successful and subsequently gets suspended because of the investigation into his donations there will be another election. With the taxpayer picking up the bill again. The annual event of Pembrokeshire County Show takes place next week in Haverfordwest and it is a great time to meet up with old friends, make new ones and see how wonderful our agriculture sector is. It is one of the highlights of my year and I always look forward to attending. This year, as always, the Welsh Conservatives will have a stand at the event, and we will welcome all who visit. It is a great opportunity to speak directly to your County Councillors and our MS Paul Davies. I will be delighted to meet with you.
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POLITICS
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positively liberal With ANDREW LYE
PM Andy Burnham has got his new Cabinet in place, and the new Secretary of State for Wales is Stephen Kinnock. For much of Starmer’s premiership, Wales has enjoyed unprecedented representation at the highest levels of government, with up to 15 Welsh Labour MPs serving on the front bench (as ministers, whips and parliamentary private secretaries) across Whitehall at any one time. The Welsh Liberal Democrats argue that, despite this level of representation, Wales has too often been left at the back of the queue. They point to Wales being denied billions in consequential funding from projects such as HS2, receiving a disproportionately low share of UK infrastructure investment and continuing to lose out on research and development funding needed to attract new industries and create highskilled jobs. They also highlight that communities which previously benefited from European development funding are receiving less support than they did before Brexit. The party said there has been little evidence that Welsh Labour MPs and ministers have worked collectively to challenge decisions that disadvantage Wales or to secure a fairer deal for the nation. Despite holding senior positions across government, they argue that this influence has not translated into tangible improvements for Welsh communities. The Welsh Liberal Democrats also pointed to the failure to secure a fairer funding settlement for Wales, the continuing pressure on public services and the lack of a clear strategy from Westminster Labour to tackle Wales’s longstanding productivity gap.
They said that reshuffling ministerial jobs will make little difference unless Welsh Labour politicians are prepared to use their influence inside government to deliver meaningful results for Wales. Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson David Chadwick MP said: “Andy Burnham can reshuffle as many titles as he likes, but Wales won’t see any real change unless Welsh Labour politicians finally start fighting Wales’s corner in government. “The problem is that they have acted as representatives of the UK government in Wales, rather than representatives of Wales in the UK government. “When Wales was denied billions in rail funding, where was the coordinated rebellion? “When communities lost out on European funding replacement schemes, where was the pressure campaign from Welsh Labour ministers? “When Welsh businesses and universities are highlighting the Welsh economy is missing out on vital R&D funding where was the collective voice standing up for Wales around the Cabinet table? “Time and again Welsh Labour MPs have chosen loyalty to the party hierarchy over loyalty to the communities who elected them. “If Labour wants to show Wales it’s changed, it needs more than a reshuffle; they need politicians who are prepared to fight Wales’s corner, challenge their own leadership when necessary and stop treating Westminster’s priorities as more important than Wales’s needs. “Until that happens, changing job titles won’t change outcomes and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for a fair deal for Wales.”
If you have any issues or comments, please contact me at andrew.lye@pembslibdems.wales
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Should GB News be banned in the Senedd? RT Davies reignites free speech row The broadcaster has been kept off the Welsh Parliament’s internal television system since 2023 – but politicians remain divided over whether the restriction amounts to censorship
A LONG-RUNNING row over GB News has erupted again after former Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies called for the broadcaster to be restored to television screens inside the Senedd. Mr Davies appeared live on GB News from Barry Island on Thursday (August 6), using the interview to renew his criticism of the controversial restriction. Writing after the appearance, the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend MS said: “The Senedd has an awful habit of shutting down opinions it dislikes.” He said the GB News decision was an example of that and repeated his call for the restriction to be scrapped. But is GB News actually “banned” from the Senedd? The answer is slightly more complicated. The channel was removed from the Senedd’s internal television system in October 2023 by the then Llywydd, Elin Jones. However, MSs and staff are still able to watch GB News online using Senedd computers and other Commission-issued devices. In other words, GB News itself
is not prohibited within the Welsh Parliament – the dispute concerns whether it should be carried alongside other broadcasters on the internal television network. The original decision followed an on-air exchange in which Laurence Fox made highly offensive remarks about political journalist Ava Evans. Official Senedd documents show Ms Jones ordered the channel removed from the internal system, saying the comments had been offensive and inappropriate and that she could no longer defend its continued inclusion. GB News apologised over the broadcast and Laurence Fox subsequently left the channel. Ofcom later ruled that the programme had breached broadcasting rules designed to protect viewers from offensive material. However, critics have consistently argued that removing an Ofcom-regulated broadcaster from the parliament’s screens creates an uncomfortable precedent for freedom of expression. The issue returned to the Senedd floor as recently as July. During Senedd Commission
questions on July 1, the new Llywydd, Huw Irranca-Davies, confirmed GB News could still be accessed through the Senedd IT network. He explained that the primary purpose of the building’s internal screens was to carry proceedings from the Siambr and committee rooms. Under the existing policy, television channels with public service broadcasting obligations are available, together with Sky News to provide additional news coverage. He did, however, leave the door open to a rethink, saying the policy could be reviewed if the newly appointed Senedd Commissioners wished to consider it. Opponents of the restriction argue that politicians should be exposed to views they disagree with and that a parliament should be particularly cautious about deciding which legitimate broadcasters its members can see. Supporters counter that there is no restriction on MSs watching GB News online and that the Senedd is entitled to decide which channels are provided through its own internal television network. Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds defended the existing position during July’s debate, arguing that the original decision was about misogyny and sexism rather than the political views expressed by the channel. The row therefore comes down to a wider question about where a parliament should draw the line. Should an elected legislature refuse to carry a broadcaster because of material it considers offensive and damaging to public debate? Or should a parliament committed to political pluralism allow access to competing broadcasters regardless of whether its presiding officers approve of their output? For Andrew RT Davies, the answer is clear: GB News should be put back on the Senedd’s screens. The question now is whether the new Senedd Commission agrees – and whether, three years after the controversy began, it is time for the decision to be reviewed.
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Reform MS calls for two hours’ free parking to revive Haverfordwest A REFORM UK Senedd Member has called for two hours’ free parking and tougher action on empty shops as political pressure grows over the future of Haverfordwest town centre. Claire Archibald, who represents Ceredigion Penfro, made the intervention following the Welsh Government’s announcement of a new Town Centre Taskforce intended to tackle declining footfall, vacant properties and the pressures facing high streets across Wales. However, Ms Archibald said towns such as Haverfordwest and Aberystwyth needed immediate measures rather than “more plans to make plans”. She said: “Plaid have announced a town centre taskforce, but our high streets do not need another talking shop or more plans to make plans from this government. “I believe we need real action urgently.” Free parking proposal Ms Archibald called for two hours’ free parking in Welsh towns, arguing that it would encourage shoppers to return and help rejuvenate struggling high streets. Parking charges currently vary across
Haverfordwest’s council-operated car parks, with no universal two-hour freeparking scheme. The Reform MS also wants councils to be given stronger powers to control concentrations of vape shops, betting shops and other businesses which, she argued, can crowd out a more diverse retail offering. She further proposed changes making it cheaper for landlords to rent out commercial buildings than to leave them empty, alongside grants to help convert vacant units into useful premises. Ms Archibald said: “Towns in my constituency such as Aberystwyth and Haverfordwest, which represent Wales and our communities, deserve better than another committee. “It is about time Wales saw fewer taskforces and more decisive action from the Welsh Government.” Government promises practical recommendations The Welsh Government says its new taskforce will provide practical expert advice and develop recommendations for ministers on securing the future of Welsh
town centres. It will be co-chaired by regeneration and placemaking practitioner Tamsin Ramasut and entrepreneur Professor Simon Gibson CBE. Members will be drawn from business, local government, planning, regeneration, academia and community organisations. Announcing the initiative, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning Siân Gwenllian said town centres remained “at the heart of communities across Wales”. She said the taskforce would identify measures to reverse decline, increase footfall, support Welsh businesses and attract investment. The announcement was accompanied by £654,000 for public-realm improvements in Bangor and £350,000 towards the regeneration of the Rhiw Shopping Centre in Bridgend. No new funding for Haverfordwest or elsewhere in Pembrokeshire was included in Wednesday’s announcement. Establishing the taskforce was one of the Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government’s commitments for its first 100 days.
Welsh Government challenged over ‘secret’ rules for emergency hardship payments THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is facing calls to publish detailed rules used to decide who receives emergency financial assistance, after arguing that making them public could allow people to tailor applications in order to secure payments. Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies says the explanation “does not stack up” and has called on the new Plaid Cymru administration to release the unpublished Decision Makers’ Guide for the Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF). The fund provides non-repayable financial assistance to people in Wales facing severe financial hardship, including help towards food, energy and other essential costs, as well as household items such as beds, cookers and washing machines. Basic eligibility information is publicly available. However, the more detailed guidance used by decisionmakers when assessing individual applications is not. A Freedom of Information request seeking disclosure of the full Decision Makers’ Guide was refused by the previous Labour Welsh Government in April. In its response, the government acknowledged that releasing the document would allow the public to see the full criteria, but argued that doing so could undermine the scheme. Officials said: “Should the guidance become publicly available, this would be likely to result in an increase of
applications to the DAF, by individuals who may not be in financial crisis, but by seeing the Decision Maker’s guidance, would know precisely what information to include in an application in order to receive a cash award.” The government went on to argue that increased applications could lead “to an overall increase in DAF expenditure”, limiting the money available for people the scheme was established to support. Mr Davies, Conservative MS for the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend and a former leader of the Welsh Conservatives, has now revived the issue and challenged the new government to take a different approach. He said: “Senedd ministers are
handing out public funds yet are keeping the criteria by which they do this secret. “This will fuel perceptions monies are being handed to individuals and groups inappropriately – it also leads us to ask just what they have to hide.” The DAF operates through two forms of assistance. Emergency Assistance Payments are intended to help people experiencing extreme financial hardship with essential costs such as food, gas, electricity, clothing and emergency travel. Individual Assistance Payments are designed to help people live independently and can provide essential household goods including furniture and appliances.
The row comes despite the amount actually paid out through the fund falling significantly in the most recently available full-year figures. Welsh Government statistics show 244,675 DAF payments worth a combined £33.56m were made during 2023/24. Total spending fell to £24.11m in 2024/25 — a reduction of approximately 28 per cent. However, parts of the support available were subsequently increased as households faced renewed pressure from rising energy costs. In March this year, following increases in fuel prices associated with the conflict in the Middle East, the then Labour government increased the maximum DAF award towards heating oil from £500 to £750 and increased the frequency with which qualifying households could receive that assistance. There has also been a change of government since the decision to withhold the guide was made. The FOI response was issued on April 16 under the previous Labour administration. Plaid Cymru subsequently took power following the May Senedd election, with Rhun ap Iorwerth becoming First Minister. The dispute therefore now leaves the new administration with a decision of its own: whether to continue defending its predecessor’s refusal to disclose the full criteria, or publish the guidance in the interests of greater transparency.
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Marie Langford Mary’s Meals supporter, volunteer and ambassador
Farage by-election cannot replace proper scrutiny DEAR SIR,
Picture of the week! Pic of week : Eclipse By Tom Sinclair Councils should put services and communities before symbolic campaigns DEAR SIR,
Councils across the country are being urged to cut ties with Israel. In my view, some of the arguments being advanced are misleading and have little connection to councils’ core responsibilities. One recent example is Hackney Council’s decision in principle to begin the process of ending its twinning agreement with Haifa, established in 1968. Writing in The Times on August 6, Haifa’s mayor, Yona Yahav, invited Hackney’s mayor to visit the city and see its communities firsthand. He wrote: “One visit to Haifa can teach more than a thousand arguments.” In Haifa, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Baha’is live and work alongside one another. Its annual Holiday of Holidays festival celebrates the city’s Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions. The twinning arrangement also helped foster exchanges between Hackney’s Homerton Hospital and Haifa’s Rambam Medical Centre, enabling medical staff to share experience and training. Although those exchanges have not operated in recent years, they demonstrate the practical relationships that can grow from civic links. As Mr Yahav wrote: “We must distinguish between political disagreement and the delegitimisation of an entire society.” Political decisions and government policies can and should be challenged. However,
councils should think carefully before abandoning relationships that have promoted dialogue and professional cooperation. Ill-informed campaigns risk encouraging further division. Councils should concentrate on community needs and essential services rather than symbolic gestures that divide the people they represent. Sarah H Miller London
Mary’s meals DEAR SIR, My journey with Mary’s Meals began in 1984, almost two decades before the charity was founded, when I first visited Medjugorje, a small village and pilgrimage site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I had felt a spiritual calling to go and fell in love with the place, returning regularly over the years. During the blessing of the new Mary’s Meals information centre in Medjugorje, I found myself standing beside the charity’s founder, Magnus MacFarlaneBarrow. I already knew about its work, but as we received a blessing from a Scottish bishop, I felt a deeper calling to become involved. Founded in the Scottish Highlands in 2002, Mary’s Meals now provides a daily school meal to more than three million children across 16 countries. Many live in extreme poverty and face hunger every day. By serving meals in schools, the charity helps bring children into the classroom, where
they can receive an education and gain hope for a brighter future The more I learned, the more determined I became to help. I have since fundraised, volunteered and become an ambassador for the charity. As a dedicated beekeeper, I have become known in my community for turning sales of honey into donations. I like to measure the difference made jar by jar: every three jars I sell can help feed another child for an entire school year. Remarkably, it costs just £19.15 for Mary’s Meals to provide those meals. My husband and I had always supported charities, but we wanted to make a lasting difference. We therefore began making a regular donation to Mary’s Meals. At a cost of only 10p per meal, our gifts have provided thousands of meals to hungry children over the past decade. Regular donations give the charity greater stability and help it plan ahead in some of the world’s poorest communities. Even a small contribution can make a profound difference. Helping children to eat, grow and learn is one of the most meaningful things we can do, and it has been a blessing to play a part. Throughout August, Mary’s Meals is tripling the first three payments made through new regular donations. This has been made possible by a generous supporter who will match new regular gifts, as well as increases made by existing donors, up to a total of £250,000. For anyone who has considered making a lasting difference to the life of a hungry child, this may be the perfect opportunity. More information is available at www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-
Nigel Farage’s decision to resign as MP for Clacton and then stand again in Thursday’s by-election raises an important question: should an election be treated as a substitute for an unresolved parliamentary standards inquiry? When Mr Farage left the Commons, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was examining questions surrounding a reported £5 million gift from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne and separate alleged benefits connected to George Cottrell, a former aide who was convicted in the United States of wire fraud. No findings had been reached. Mr Farage denies any wrongdoing, says financial assistance from supporters was needed for personal security and argues that the voters of Clacton should judge his actions. Voters can decide whom they want as their MP, but a by-election cannot determine whether Parliament’s disclosure rules were followed. That requires an evidence-based investigation in which all sides can be heard. The election will also carry a public cost. Clacton includes communities affected by deprivation, poor health, low wages and inadequate housing. Its residents are entitled to ask why time and public resources are being spent rerunning an election only two years after the general election. Mr Farage is entitled to defend himself vigorously, but no politician should be placed beyond proper scrutiny. The standards process should be allowed to reach a conclusion and its findings should be made public. A clear determination based on evidence would serve both Clacton’s voters and the wider public better than campaign slogans. Pete Milroy
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Home, Llanteg, Narberth SA67 8QH com/ (01834) 831876 and 21 Main Street, All enquiries to Tom Newing & Sons Pembroke SA71 4JS (01646) 682680 Ltd, Funeral Directors, Dartmouth Street, Haydn passed away peacefully at or via www.ecthomasandson.co.uk Milford Haven. Tel: 01646 693180. Withybush Hospital on Tuesday 28th July aged 82 Years. Shirley Ann Arlow Doris Feetham Much loved husband of Margaret, devoted father to Sarah and Gillian and Mrs. Shirley Ann Arlow passed Peacefully on Sunday, a treasured Grandfather. away peacefully on Sunday, 26th July 26th July, at Withybush Hospital, The Funeral Service will take place Haverfordwest. at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Wiston aged 91 years. Beloved wife of the late Ken, mother Doris, of Springfield Park, Narberth. at 3pm on Monday 17th August. of David and Simon and grandmother of Beloved wife of the late Eric dear Family flowers only. Daniel and Lily. mother of Elizabeth respected motherDonations in lieu, if desired for St. She will be deeply missed. in-law of Neville. Mary Magdalene Church, Wiston c/o Mr. The funeral will be held on Friday, Funeral Service at Parc Gwyn Malcolm Lewis, Highways, Clarbeston 21st August 2026 at St. Katherine’s Crematorium, Narberth, on Friday, 21st Road, Haverfordwest, SA63 4XB. and St. Peter’s Church, Milford Haven August at 1.45pm. All enquiries to Roy Folland & Son at 10:00am, followed by Cremation at Mourning dress optional but feel free Funeral Directors (01437) 763821. Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth at to include a splash of her favourites 11:30am. colours, purple or pink. Sheila Kathleen Family flowers only. Immediate family flowers only. Girdler Donations in memory of Shirley Enquiries to Ken Davies & Sons, for the Alzheimer’s Society or St. Funeral Directors, Clunderwen. Te: The death occurred peacefully at Katherine’s & St. Peter’s Church can be 01437 563319 Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen on made at https://shirleyarlow.muchloved. Wednesday 29th July of Mrs Sheila Kathleen Girdler, aged 88 years of St. Davids Avenue, Whitland. Beloved Wife of the late Arthur. Dearly loved Mum of Jayne, Stephen and the late Jacqueline. Mother-in-law to Neil and Anna. Treasured Nan to all her Grandchildren. Funeral service will take place on Thursday 27th August at Parc Gwyn Crematorium at 1.45pm. There will be family flowers only with donations, if so desired for The Paul Sartori Hospice at Home c/o E. C. Thomas and Son, Zoar Chapel Funeral
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Maureen Thomas Peacefully on Tuesday 4th August at Rickeston Mill Nursing Home, Maureen of Letterston. Beloved wife of the late Jim, loving mother of Debbie and Tony, Kim & Phil and a much loved grandmother and great grandmother. Private funeral service. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu if desired, made payable to ‘Rickeston Care Home Ltd’ (Residents fund) c/o Paul Jenkins & Sons Funeral Directors, Feidr Castell, Fishguard. Tel 01348 873250.
Mary Woolford Passed away peacefully at home on Friday, 24th July 2026, aged 88. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on Thursday, 20th August at the Apostolic Mission Church, Pembroke at 11am, followed by interment in St Michael’s Cemetery. If desired, donations gratefully received in lieu of flowers in memory of Mary for the ‘Paul Sartori Foundation’ via the link below. (Cheques payable to ‘Paul Sartori Foundation Limited’ can be sent to John Roberts & Son Funeral Directors, 51 Bush Street, Pembroke Dock) mary-woolford.muchloved.com www.jrsfunerals.com
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Henri Cynwyl claims podium
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD rally driver Henri Cynwyl kept his cool during a fiercely contested weekend at Trawsfynydd to secure an impressive podium finish. The Newcastle Emlyn driver and codriver Dilwyn John remained among the leading crews throughout all 12 stages of the Minafon Garage/Terraclean Gareth Hall Memorial Rally.
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They finished third in the Mini Rally Challenge and 20th overall, behind winners Sven Grube and Alfie Element, with Jacob Neal and Russell Thompson taking second place. The narrow and twisting roads of the Trawsfynydd ranges provided a demanding test during the seventh round of the Mini Rally Challenge Championship. Organised by Bala and District Motor Club, the event comprised three loops of four stages and offered valuable
preparation for Henri and Dilwyn ahead of Rali Ceredigion in Aberystwyth. Henri said: “I really enjoyed the rally. It was very challenging, and to finish third in class and 20th overall was great. “Sven Grube won the Mini Challenge and I wasn’t far behind. I was second after the opening four stages, but a caliper problem cost us several seconds. “We are moving forward positively now and looking ahead to Rali Ceredigion.” The result follows another strong performance at the Tour of Epynt Rally several weeks ago. Henri continues to lead the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs Championship standings for the highest-placed driver aged under 25, with three rounds remaining this year. Two of Henri’s sponsors were also competing at Trawsfynydd. Andrew Davies, of Geraint Davies and Son, and Cardigan’s Dylan Davies both saw their rallies brought
to a premature end by suspension failure. Henri made history at Rali Ceredigion in 2025 as the event’s youngest co-driver. This year, again partnered by Dilwyn, he is preparing to return as its youngest driver. He said his progress would not have been possible without the backing of his sponsors and supporters, as well as the work of his service crew at W1 Motorsport, Wil Parry and Dafydd Lloyd. Henri added: “Having such great sponsors on board, who phone, message and follow every step of my rallying journey, is just terrific. “I really appreciate each and every one of them, as well as everyone who keeps in touch with my mum for updates and sends their good wishes. “Diolch yn fawr.” Podium performance: Henri Cynwyl and Dilwyn John in action at Trawsfynydd (Pic: GPrice Photographs)
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Pembrokeshire rallies around little Isla at huge Milford fundraiser
THE PEMBROKESHIRE football community came together in remarkable fashion on Saturday (Aug 8) for a major fundraising day in support of one-year-old Isla Butland and her family. Milford United Football Club hosted the event at Marble Hall, bringing together 24 teams for a seven-a-side tournament played across four pitches But the day was about considerably
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more than football. Families and supporters gathered throughout the afternoon for live entertainment, food, face painting, children’s activities, raffles and fundraising, with businesses, volunteers and members of the wider community
all contributing. A GoFundMe appeal set up by Scott Griffiths and Katie Griffiths says: “Our football family is coming together to support the family of little Isla Butland who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. “Any support would mean the world to the family as they face the difficult
journey ahead. Thank you for your kindness, generosity and support.” The response has been extraordinary. By Saturday evening, the fundraising appeal had reached £8,783 from 325 donations — leaving it just £217 short of its current £9,000 target. The effort has also inspired other fundraising in the community, including a separate sponsored running challenge organised by a group of teenagers. Saturday’s event began with football but developed into a full community day, with supporters lining the pitches at Marble Hall and a large “FOR ISLA” banner overlooking the fundraising stalls. Pure West Radio provided live music and commentary during the afternoon, while Mike Jones and Ryan Bristow were among those giving their time to support the entertainment programme. For Milford United, the message behind the day was simple: supporting Isla and her family through an unimaginably difficult time. And on Saturday, Pembrokeshire answered that call in numbers. The fundraising appeal remains open and can be supported here. Photos: Darth Marty Media
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Record Firefly fleet in Tenby for landmark championships MORE than 230 sailors are descending on Tenby for one of the biggest dinghy championships to be staged in Britain this year. The Tideway 80th Anniversary Firefly National Championships get underway at Tenby Sailing Club on Saturday (Aug 8), with an extraordinary 116 boats entered for the week-long event. The entry has been officially confirmed at 116 boats – making this the biggest Firefly National Championships since 1974 and almost three times the 43-boat fleet which competed when the championships were last held at Tenby in 2022. It also represents a remarkable vote of confidence in a class which is celebrating eight decades since the first Fireflies were produced in 1946. The championship opens with registration, measurement and scrutineering at Tenby Sailing Club on Saturday, followed by the competitors’ briefing at 7.00pm. The real spectacle begins on Sunday, when more than 100 Fireflies are expected to take to Carmarthen Bay. A practice race and the opening championship race are scheduled backto-back, with the first warning signal no earlier than 11.55am. Racing then continues throughout the week, with two races planned on Monday, the fourth championship race and traditional Crews Race on Tuesday, and Race Five alongside the Sir Ralph Gore Challenge Cup and Marlow Cup on Wednesday. Two further races are scheduled for Thursday before the eighth and final points race on Friday morning, August 14. The prize-giving will follow as soon as possible after racing. Conditions could, of course, change the programme, with race officials given discretion to alter the schedule according to weather and sea conditions. The official Notice of Race confirms racing will take place in Carmarthen Bay. There will also be plenty of local interest on the water. The entry list includes Tenby Sailing Club’s Sebi Schmidt and Georgia Evans aboard Dignity, while Saundersfoot Sailing Club is represented by James and Archie Hayden aboard the Ovington Demo. They will be lining up against some of the best-known names in the class. Defending national champions Oliver Meadowcroft and Hazel Jones return aboard Daddy Long Legs Too after winning the 2025 championship at Lyme Regis by just a single point. Jono and Freddie Pank, who finished only one point behind them last year, are also entered in Pogie, while Paul Kameen and Evie Snedker
return aboard Biscuit Buffalo – the same pairing which won the championship when it was last staged at Tenby in 2022. Former champions Steve Tylecote and Tasha Armstrong are among a remarkably deep fleet. Perhaps even more significant for the future of the class is its age profile. Organisers say 61 per cent of this year’s helms are under 30, around a quarter are competing at their first Firefly Nationals and close to half of all sailors in the fleet are female. The class describes it as its youngest championship fleet in living memory. Tenby has a particularly strong association with the Firefly Nationals. The club has previously hosted the championships in 2010, 2016 and 2022 – with the 2016 event itself marking the
Firefly’s 70th anniversary. That makes the return to Pembrokeshire for the 80th anniversary particularly fitting. The Firefly is a 12ft, two-person racing dinghy designed by legendary boat designer Uffa Fox. Production began at Fairey Marine in 1946, with the boat taking its name from the Fairey aircraft. Just two years later the Firefly was selected for the single-handed dinghy event at the 1948 Olympic Games in Torbay. Twenty-one identical boats were used, with the gold medal won by Denmark’s Paul Elvstrøm, who went on to become one of the greatest Olympic sailors of all time. The design has survived and evolved ever since and remains particularly prominent in British university and team racing.
The scale of this week’s championship demonstrates that the 80-year-old design is enjoying something of a renaissance. In 2016, 63 Fireflies came to Tenby for the 70th anniversary championship. In 2022 there were 43. This time there are 116. For Tenby, that means 232 competitors before families, race officials, volunteers and supporters are counted, with many staying in and around the town for the best part of a week. And from Sunday, the sight of more than a hundred Firefly sails gathering off the Pembrokeshire coast should make for one of the most spectacular sporting scenes of the summer. The championships run until Friday, August 14.
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Milford Athletic step up pre-season
MILFORD ATHLETIC gave both of their senior sides valuable minutes on Saturday (Aug 8) as Aberaeron made the journey to Milford Haven for a pre-season double-header. With the new season fast approaching, Athletic’s first and second teams were both given competitive workouts against the Ceredigion visitors. Ciaran Lewis was on target twice
for the first team, while Joseph Zugasti and Ewan Barker found the net for the seconds. While final scorelines were not given in the club’s update, Athletic described it as a “brilliant afternoon of football”, with strong performances and valuable minutes for both squads. The two fixtures provided useful preparation for both clubs as they continue building towards the start
of their respective competitive campaigns. Athletic thanked Aberaeron for making the journey to Pembrokeshire and for providing two competitive games. The club said: “A massive thank you to Aberaeron AFC for making the long journey down to us and providing two competitive games. We really appreciate you travelling down and
making it a great day of football for both teams.” They also wished everyone at Aberaeron the best of luck for the forthcoming season. For Athletic, getting both senior sides on the pitch represented another useful step towards the new campaign, with three players finding the net and valuable minutes gained across both squads.
BBC secures three-year deal to show live Cymru Premier football WELSH football fans will be able to watch at least 20 live domestic matches each season after BBC Cymru Wales agreed a new threeyear broadcasting deal with the Football Association of Wales. The agreement will see selected Novira Cymru Premier fixtures shown live on BBC iPlayer until the summer of 2029, with further coverage and updates available through the BBC Sport website. At least 60 matches will be broadcast during the three-year partnership, doubling the number of games made available through free BBC coverage compared with last season. The first televised fixture will see Barry Town United face Cardiff Met on Saturday, August 15, with coverage beginning at 12:30pm. That will be followed by Ammanford against Connah’s Quay Nomads on Saturday, August 22, also kicking off at 12:30pm. Carolyn Hitt, Head of Sport at BBC Cymru Wales, said: “We’re so pleased to be announcing this new deal with the FAW to show games throughout the next three years of the Novira Cymru Premier.
“This deal strengthens our commitment to provide live coverage of Welsh football, and follows our recent announcement to show all of the UEFA Wales men’s international games up until Euro 2028. “We hope this will be welcome news to Welsh football fans as we continue to bring sport to free-to-air television.” Jack Sharp, the FAW’s Head of Domestic Leagues, said the partnership represented an important step towards raising the profile of Welsh domestic football. He said: “I am delighted to welcome the BBC back to Welsh domestic football through this new three-year partnership. “This agreement represents another significant step in growing the profile of the Novira Cymru Premier, enabling us to reach more supporters across Wales and the wider UK through increased free-to-air coverage. “By doubling our free live broadcast offering compared to last season, we have created a comprehensive broadcasting portfolio where Cymru Football TV and free-to-air coverage work together to serve different
audiences. “Whether supporters choose to watch every match through Cymru Football TV or enjoy selected fixtures on free-to-air television, more people than ever before will have the opportunity to connect with our clubs
and competitions. “The BBC’s commitment to Welsh domestic football will play an important role in increasing awareness of the league, attracting new audiences and supporting our wider ambition to continue growing the game.”
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Eight centuries light up Week 16 as Pembrokeshire cricket enters final stretch EIGHT centuries were struck across the Thomas Carroll Pembroke County Cricket League on Saturday (Aug 8) as the championship entered the final stages of a remarkable season. Tom Mansbridge, Lewis Boswell, Dan James, Ben Field, Ashoka Senavirathna, Will Ridge, Ollie Roberts and Luc Owen all reached three figures on a day packed with outstanding individual performances. At the top of Division One, Saundersfoot took a potentially decisive step towards the title with a 95-run victory over nearest challengers Carew, moving 30 points clear with the season rapidly running out. There were also important developments throughout the lower divisions, where Hook, Laugharne, Lawrenny II, Cresselly III and Lamphey II continue to lead their respective tables. Division One: Saundersfoot tighten grip on title Tom Mansbridge produced the performance of the day in the top flight, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 129 and later taking 3-27 as Saundersfoot defeated Carew by 95 runs. The Seasiders made 260-5, with Simon Stanford contributing 44 and Nick Cope 33, before Carew were dismissed for 165. Sam Franklin also claimed 3-30. The victory moved unbeaten Saundersfoot to 281 points, 30 clear of Carew on 251. Herbrandston strengthened their hold on third place with a 46-run victory at Neyland. Nathan Banner hit 83 and Charlie Malloy 51 in Herbie’s 243-9 before Neyland were dismissed for 197. Lawrenny enjoyed an emphatic 119run success over Burton. Will Nicholas made 50 in a total of 241-8 before Oscar Lewis took 4-21 and Ryan Morton 3-34 as Burton were dismissed for 122. Cresselly beat Narberth by 90 runs after Phil Williams struck an unbeaten 82 and Alex Bailey 78 in 216-6. Narberth were then bowled out for 126. Whitland, meanwhile, produced their most emphatic result of the campaign, beating St Ishmaels by 158 runs. Matthew Davies starred with 85 before taking 4-34, while Wayne Howells returned 4-25 as Tish were bowled out for 94 chasing 253. Division Two: Hook stay top as centuries flow Division Two produced three centuries as leaders Hook maintained their position with a comfortable eightwicket victory over Pembroke Dock. Aled Phelps was outstanding, taking 4-13 as Dock were dismissed for 85 before hitting an unbeaten 52 as Hook
raced to 86-2. Second-placed Johnston piled up 303-7 against Cresselly II, Lewis Boswell leading the way with 129 and Tom Coomber adding 66. Remarkably, Cresselly’s Dan James responded with an unbeaten 102, having also taken a wicket, while Cody James claimed 6-56, but their side finished on 211-5. Haverfordwest kept up their challenge with a 90-run victory over Fishguard. Ben Field struck an unbeaten 115 in Haverfordwest’s 244-5 before Fishguard were bowled out for 154. Llangwm’s Josh Davies claimed 5-35 against Llanrhian, who made 1817, before Chris Inward hit an unbeaten 70 to guide Llangwm to a six-wicket win. Pembroke completed the day’s other victory, making 245-7 before restricting Llechryd to 200-8. Hook lead Division Two with 275 points, followed by Johnston on 254, Pembroke on 243 and Haverfordwest on 232. Division Three: Senavirathna hits 151 as Laugharne remain top Ashoka Senavirathna struck the highest individual score of the weekend as Haverfordwest II amassed 278-5 against Hundleton. His superb 151, supported by Nigel Morgan’s 54, laid the foundations for a 97-run victory after Hundleton were dismissed for 181. There was another century at Laugharne, although remarkably it came for the losing side. Will Ridge made 111 and James Scale an unbeaten 74 as Burton II reached 230-6. Laugharne chased it successfully, Callum Collins-Davies scoring 90 and Matt Tait an unbeaten 76 as the leaders reached 232-4 to win by six wickets.
Kilgetty defeated second-placed Lamphey by 60 runs, Richard Webb scoring 73 before Anthony Lewis took 5-33. Carew II beat Saundersfoot II by 33 runs, while Pembroke II chased down Stackpole’s 180-8 to win by four wickets. Laugharne remain top on 253 points, 17 ahead of Lamphey, with Carew II third on 223. Division Four: Roberts century powers Llechryd II Ollie Roberts struck 104 as Llechryd II made 220-2 against Carew III before Tom Beard ripped through the visitors with figures of 6-16. Carew were dismissed for 113 as Llechryd won by 107 runs. Leaders Lawrenny II remained in control with an eight-wicket win over St Ishmaels II. Jamie Lewis claimed 4-19 before contributing 27 to the successful chase. Narberth II also enjoyed an eightwicket success, beating Haverfordwest III. Jordan Williams took 4-23 before finishing 33 not out, while Aaron Keane hit an unbeaten 71. Crymych edged Hook II by just 13 runs in a low-scoring contest. Richard Thorne returned an excellent 4-6 and Ellis Williams took 4-27 as Hook were dismissed for 113 chasing 127. Herbrandston II completed a tenwicket win over Neyland II, Karl Davies taking 3-17 before John Camani and Aaron Bowles finished unbeaten on 40 and 25 respectively Lawrenny II lead the division on 241 points, ahead of Narberth II on 215, Hook II on 211 and St Ishmaels II on 210. Division Five: Owen stars in huge Whitland victory Luc Owen produced one of the weekend’s finest all-round displays as Whitland II crushed Llangwm II by 212
runs. Owen hit an unbeaten 109 and Chris Sweeney made 63 as Whitland amassed 274-3. Sweeney then took 4-25, Owen 3-31 and Morgan Oeppen a remarkable 3-1 as Llangwm were dismissed for just 62. Leaders Cresselly III remained on course at the top after beating Llanrhian II by seven wickets. Arthur Jenkins took 3-16 before Tom Rowlands made an unbeaten 70 in the chase. Pembroke Dock II beat Hundleton II by nine wickets, with Callum Power making 54 and Neil Gregory 43 not out after Phil Scott had taken 4-21. Pembroke III won a much tighter encounter against Llechryd III by 13 runs. Toby Bradley-Watson made 64 and Arpan Maheshwari 55 as Pembroke posted 198, before Llechryd finished on 185-8. Cresselly III lead Division Five with 269 points, 25 ahead of Whitland II. Division Six: one-wicket thriller for Haverfordwest IV
Division Six produced the closest finish of the day as Haverfordwest IV edged Haverfordwest/Cresselly by just one wicket. The combined side made 145-9, Dave Cleverley leading the way with 56, before Haverfordwest IV scraped home at 146-9. Jack Wornham made 36 and Gareth Richards 30. Leaders Lamphey II strengthened their position with a seven-wicket win over Laugharne II. Zeb Colley took 5-14 as Laugharne were dismissed for 92 before Lamphey reached 93-3. Kilgetty II beat Neyland III by 14 runs after Rob Beynon struck 86 in a total of 168. Euan Gottwaltz then took 4-27 as Neyland were held to 154-9. Whitland III had the bye. Lamphey II remain top on 193 points, 12 ahead of Whitland III, with Haverfordwest IV third on 166. With the season entering its final fortnight, Saundersfoot hold a 30-point advantage in Division One, while the battles in several of the lower divisions remain very much alive. Hook lead Johnston by 21 points in Division Two, Laugharne have a 17-point advantage over Lamphey in Division Three, and Lawrenny II sit 26 points clear of Narberth II in Division Four. Cresselly III lead Whitland II by 25 in Division Five, while only 12 points separate Lamphey II and Whitland III at the top of Division Six. With another maximum of 20 points available in each fixture, there remains plenty to play for as the 2026 Pembrokeshire cricket season approaches its conclusion. Results and individual performances supplied by the Thomas Carroll Pembroke County Cricket League.
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Friday AUGUST 14th 2026 www.pembrokeshire-herald.co.uk
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Thomas Carroll Pembrokeshire League Table Fixtures 15th August
DIVISION 1
Division 1 Carew Cresselly Narberth Saundersfoot Whitland
v Neyland v St Ishmaels v Burton v Lawrenny v Herbrandston
Hook Llangwm Llanrhian Llechryd PDock
v v v v v
Division 2
Division 3
Cresselly II Pembroke Johnston Fishguard Haverfordwest
DIVISION 2
Burton II v Saundersfoot II Haverfordwest II v Carew II Hundleton v Lamphey Pembroke II v Kilgetty Stackpole v Laugharne
Division 4
Haverfordwest III v Hook II Herbrandston II v Carew III Lawrenny II v Narberth II Neyland II v Crymych St Ishmaels II v Llechryd II
Division 5 Cresselly III Llechryd III Pembroke III
v Llanrhian II v Pembroke Dock II v Llangwm II
Kilgetty II Laugharne II Whitland III
v v v
Division 6
DIVISION 3
DIVISION 5
Neyland III Haverfordwest IV H’west-Cresselly
DIVISION 4
DIVISION 6
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