News

‘House of evil’ demolished

Published

9 years ago

December 9, 2014

Demolished: The family of April Jones at the demolition site. (Pic. Rob
Formstone)

THE PARENTS of murdered five year old, April Jones have spoken of their relief as the cottage dubbed the ‘house of evil’, where it is believed Mark Bridger killed the school girl, was demolished by bulldozers. Coral and Paul Jones, from Machynlleth, were part of a crowd of onlookers who watched as the property, Mount Pleasant, was torn down on Monday (Nov 17).

The property, in the village of Ceinws, is where Mark Bridger lived as a tenant. The former lifeguard is believed to have killed and dismembered April after snatching her outside her parents’ home in Machynlleth, in October last year. Bridger, who is now serving a whole life sentence for the abduction and killing of April, claimed he knocked over the schoolgirl in his Land Rover.

The body of April was never discovered, but forensics experts discovered fragments of a child’s skull in a fireplace in the now demolished home of Bridger. April’s mother, Coral spoke of her feelings, watching the property being destroyed: “It’s just a constant reminder. And I’m glad it’s gone. It’s hard to sort of explain, I’m glad it’s been demolished. It’s like her spirit can be free now.”

Both Coral and Paul have said the demolition marked a moment of closure for both the family and the local community. The Welsh Government bought the property from an unnamed owner for a sum believed to be around £149,000, and April’s family took to Facebook to announce the property’s purchase. The Facebook post said: “This is a huge weight off our minds as it can now be demolished.

“The loss of our beautiful daughter was bad enough but the house has been a constant reminder of the tragic events. Our family want to thank the Welsh Government for listening to us and for understanding our need to see the house demolished.” Bridger was given a whole life sentence last year, being convicted of abducting April, murdering her and preventing the course of justice by disposing of her body.

Entertainment

Music at the Manor returns for an exciting evening of entertainment

Published

5 mins ago

April 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE MUSIC SERVICE is proud to announce the return of Music at the Manor on Friday 10^th May at Scolton Manor for an evening of fantastic entertainment.

More than 150 Pembrokeshire young musicians will showcase their talents in the beautiful surroundings of Scolton.

This is the third Music at the Manor event, expanding on the success of previous years to bring an exciting evening of musical celebration from across Pembrokeshire.

Gates open at 4.30pm for a 6pm start and guests are invited to bring a chair or blanket and arrive in plenty of time to relax, soak up the atmosphere and grab something to eat.

Food lovers will be well catered for with Daps Baps, Pembs Pizza co and Worley’s Ice-creams on hand and Absolute Events Bars to provide a drink to enjoy along with the music.

Face painting by the talented Gabrielle Swales will also be on offer.

Performing are:

Pembrokeshire Music Service (PMS) Youth String Orchestra
PMS Youth Wind Band
PMS Youth Brass Band
PMS Rock and Pop bands “Nebular” and “Broken Strings”
PMS Youth Woodwind ensemble
PMS Training Orchestra featuring the Second Steps ensemble players

Cleddau Chamber orchestra and Pembrokeshire Music Service Community Choir will also perform.

Compere for the evening is Ysgol Greenhill Headteacher David Haynes.

Tickets are £8, £4 Concessions and £18 family ticket.

You can purchase tickets online or alternatively contact Angela White on 01437 775202.

Tickets will be available on the night but to reduce potential for congestion please pre pay where possible.

Charity

New Quay RNLI’s inshore lifeboat rescues stranded 26ft yacht

Published

14 mins ago

April 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

NEW QUAY RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched on service at 08:32 this morning to assist a 26ft yacht in difficulty a quarter of a mile from New Quay harbour.

Launching with four volunteer crew members, the D-class lifeboat, the Will Morgan, quickly located the vessel, with one person on board.

Simon Rigby, New Quay RNLI’s helm said, “The yacht had lost all means of propulsion, both sail and engine, and was unable to recover a fouled anchor.

“Having assessed the situation we decided that the best course of action was to take the vessel under tow to New Quay harbour. We placed two members of our crew on board, disconnected the anchor chain and began the tow.

“Having safely berthed the yacht alongside the harbour wall, we returned to station just after 09:30.”

Entertainment

Classic car extravaganza returns to Carew Castle this Bank Holiday

Published

20 mins ago

April 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ONE of the highlights of the Pembrokeshire calendar is set to return this Bank Holiday, as Carew Castle prepares to host some of the finest classic and vintage cars, motorbikes, and military vehicles from across South Wales.

The Carew Castle Car Show will take place on Monday 6 May, with plenty of entertainment for all the family, including music throughout the day by local folk band ‘Razor Bill’, and a variety of vintage funfair rides and games from Pembrokeshire Attractions.

For an extra cost of £2, younger visitors will also be able to take part in a Brilliant Birds Trail around the Castle

Manager of Carew Castle, Daisy Hughes, said: “We’re delighted to host the ever-popular Car Show at Carew for another year. It’s a wonderful opportunity for enthusiasts and families alike to admire the beauty of classic and vintage vehicles in an equally impressive vintage setting.

“There is no need to book tickets in advance – just turn up on the day to make the most of this fantastic event.”

Nest Tearoom will be open from 10am onwards to serve bacon rolls and hot drinks, with the usual mouth-watering selection of homemade lunches and cakes available throughout the rest of the day. Visitors are welcome to explore the majestic Castle and Tidal Mill during their visit, to find out more about the events and colourful characters that shaped this site’s fascinating history.

While the car show itself is currently at capacity and no longer accepting new entries, anyone interested in securing a spot for their vehicle on the reserve list are encouraged to register their interest by following the link at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/carew-castle/events-at-carew-castle/spring-events.

Carew Castle Car Show will take place from 10am-3pm with the Castle open from 10am-4.30pm. Normal admission charges apply: Adults £8, Concessions £7, Children £6 and a Family Ticket (two adults and two children) £25.

Please note the event may not take place in the event of bad weather. For more information visit www.carewcastle.com or follow Carew Castle’s Facebook page (Carew Castle and Tidal Mill) for event updates.

To learn about other events that are taking place in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park this Bank Holiday and throughout the rest of the year, go to www.pembrokeshirecoast.com/events.