A DRAMATIC rescue at Newgale Beach is featured in the first episode of a new RNLI podcast marking the 25th anniversary of the charity’s lifeguard service.

The podcast, titled We Are Lifeguards, tells the story of how Pembrokeshire lifeguard Matty McLeod helped save the life of holidaymaker Joanna Hicks after she got into difficulty in the sea at Newgale in July 2023.

Joanna lost consciousness in the water and her life was in danger, but Matty was able to respond quickly thanks to his RNLI training.

The five-episode series has been launched by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to celebrate 25 years since the organisation rolled out its beach lifeguarding service. It features interviews with lifeguards and people they have rescued, while also exploring how the service has helped make beaches safer since 2001.

The first episode, WE ARE LIFEGUARDS: Saving lives on the beach with the RNLI, focuses on the Newgale rescue and also gives listeners an insight into the demanding training RNLI lifeguards undergo to prepare for the summer season.

RNLI lifeguards have been helping to keep beaches in Pembrokeshire safer since 2008.

Over the past 25 years, RNLI lifeguards across the UK have carried out more than 48 million preventative actions, attended more than 330,000 incidents and aided more than 440,000 people on beaches in the UK and Channel Islands.

In Pembrokeshire, RNLI beach lifeguards have saved 164 lives, the highest number recorded anywhere in Wales. Since the service began locally in 2008, lifeguards have also aided 15,513 people and carried out 1,799 rescues.

Peter Dawes, General Manager of Lifeguard Operations, said: “Since our lifeguarding service began in 2001, we’ve seen more people visit our beaches and enjoy the water.

“Our highly-trained, capable and skilled lifeguards spend their time talking to people, sharing our safety advice and educating visitors about the dangers, as well as carrying out rescues and providing first aid.

“The launch of this podcast not only marks our 25th anniversary, but also the return of lifeguards to beaches ahead of what will be another busy summer. If you are heading to the coast, be sure to choose an RNLI lifeguarded beach.”

The podcast is available through the RNLI website and major podcast platforms.

To find your nearest RNLI lifeguarded beach, visit the RNLI website.

PAUL SARTORI Hospice at Home is calling on the community to help keep end-of-life care moving across Pembrokeshire as it launches an urgent appeal to fund a replacement for its essential Equipment Loan Van.

The appeal, which went live on Friday, April 10, 2026, will run until December 1, 2026, with the aim of raising £40,000 to replace the vital vehicle and safeguard the future of the service.

Every day, families across the county face some of the hardest moments of their lives while living with terminal illness or saying goodbye to a loved one. Paul Sartori Hospice at Home believes everyone deserves dignity, comfort and choice at the end of life, and its Equipment Loan Service plays a crucial role in making that possible.

At the heart of this service is the charity’s van, which delivers essential equipment free of charge directly to people’s homes. From hospital-style beds and wheelchairs to commodes and pressure-relieving mattresses, these items enable patients to remain in familiar surroundings, close to the people they love.

The service often responds on the same day, ensuring urgent needs are met quickly. By providing the right equipment at the right time, the team helps prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and supports faster hospital discharges, giving people the chance to spend precious time at home.

Beyond deliveries, the team also shows families how to use the equipment, supports safe transfers where needed, and fills critical gaps that statutory services are unable to meet. For many people, this service provides something truly invaluable: dignity, independence and comfort during end-of-life care.

However, the current Equipment Loan Van is now reaching the end of its working life, putting this lifeline service at risk. To continue operating safely and efficiently across Pembrokeshire, the charity urgently needs to replace it with a reliable, roadworthy vehicle.

Pat Coombs, Clinical Coordinator and Equipment Facilitator at Paul Sartori Hospice at Home, said: “This van is essential to the care we provide. Every day, we see the difference it makes, helping people return home from hospital, supporting families to care for loved ones, and making sure patients can remain where they feel most comfortable.

“It is not just about delivering equipment; it is about delivering dignity and choice at the end of life. Without a reliable van, we simply cannot respond as quickly or effectively as people need us to.”

The charity is encouraging individuals, businesses and community groups to get involved and support the appeal. Donations of all sizes will help ensure that no one in Pembrokeshire has to face the end of life without the care and equipment they need.

To support the campaign and help fund a new Equipment Loan Van, visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/equipmentloanvan

Public urged to adopt as RSPCA says large-scale cases are putting growing strain on services

THE RSPCA is urging animal lovers in Wales to consider adopting a rescue pet as new figures show a sharp rise in large-scale incidents involving 10 or more animals at the same address.

The charity said there were 344 such incidents in Wales in 2025, up from 214 in 2022 — an increase of 61 per cent. Across England and Wales, the RSPCA responded to 4,200 incidents last year involving at least 10 animals at one property.

The warning comes as the charity says its centres are already over capacity, with more animals in care than there is space to house them.

RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said: “We are struggling with rising reports of cruelty and neglect and, over recent years, more and more of those reports involve 10, 20, even 100 animals. Because they have often been living in large groups, they may need extra support before they are ready to find a new home.”

She added: “We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres. These large animal rescues are adding to already overwhelmed animal centres and local charities.

“We really need help from animal lovers. If you are considering adding a pet to your home, please consider rescuing. We need extra special homes for some of our animals.”

The RSPCA said it dealt with 1,752 mass cat incidents across England and Wales last year — almost five every day — along with 1,119 incidents involving dogs, the equivalent of three every day.

In 75 of the cases, 100 or more animals were rescued from the same property. Thirteen of those incidents involved cats and three involved dogs. Many required multi-agency operations involving other charities and public bodies.

The charity said cases involving large numbers of animals at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost-of-living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices. Experts say situations can quickly spiral out of control, even where owners were initially well-meaning.

Across Wales, the highest number of incidents in 2025 were recorded in Rhondda Cynon Taf with 32, followed by Carmarthenshire with 29, Swansea with 26, and both Neath Port Talbot and Cardiff with 23. Wrexham recorded 22 cases and saw the biggest year-on-year rise, climbing from seven incidents in 2024 to 22 in 2025.

Pembrokeshire recorded 19 large-scale incidents in 2025 involving 10 or more animals at the same address. While that was slightly down from 20 in 2024, it remained above the 15 incidents recorded in 2022, showing the issue is still a significant concern locally.

The RSPCA said Welsh cases have involved a wide range of animals, including horses, donkeys, cats and dogs. In one case in recent years, almost 50 dogs were rescued from one property, many suffering with dirty coats, fleas and skin disease.

Among the animals in Wales now looking for new homes are several cats at RSPCA Newport Animal Centre.

Reid is described as a cat whose fun-loving personality is shining through more each day. Staff say she would benefit from a quiet home where she can settle at her own pace with patient adopters.

Cookie, also at Newport, was initially nervous and shy after coming from a multi-animal home, but has since grown in confidence and now enjoys fuss and attention. She could live with older children.

Luna, another cat at the centre, is said to need a calm home with no children, allowing her time to settle. Staff say she becomes very affectionate once comfortable and would suit a household where someone is around much of the time.

Jo Hirst said: “Rescues involving lots of animals are often very complex and can include very difficult family circumstances, mental health problems, or be linked to irresponsible pet breeding.

“People accumulate animals for a multitude of reasons, but the welfare risks for these poor animals are always the same.

“We have already had two incidents involving hundreds of pets this year. Those sorts of rescues put strain on our services and are extremely harmful to the animals involved. It is vital we work with external partners when dealing with these types of incidents to ensure support is in place where appropriate.”

She added: “Often, animals rescued from crowded environments are undersocialised and require a long period of rehabilitation before being rehomed, which puts even more strain on an already stretched rescue centre.

“We are encouraging people to contact an animal rescue organisation if they are at a stage where they, or someone they know, is struggling with the numbers of animals they have in their household. Often, problems escalate because people do not reach out early enough.”

The RSPCA said hoarding is only one cause of these cases, with some incidents involving breeders who become overwhelmed by the numbers of puppies or kittens in their care. In many situations, the charity said, the best outcome is achieved through early advice and support to protect the animals and prevent future harm.

Jo added: “Serious mental health issues and complex situations involving animal hoarding are in part driving these figures. It is vital that people are able to contact us — or another animal charity — where they have too many pets and are unable to cope.

“These situations put massive pressure on our national centres, which have limited space for housing animals. That is why we are asking people with space in their home for a pet to consider adopting — it frees up space so we can rescue more animals in need.”

People interested in adopting can visit the RSPCA website at rspca.org.uk/findapet.