Menevia WI, Girl Guides and local groups among the winners at a packed Cross Square event

CHARITIES, schools and community groups lit up St Davids on 29 November 2025, showcasing creativity, craftsmanship and festive spirit as hundreds gathered in Cross Square for the annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Competition.

The winners were chosen by public vote. Taking first place in the adults’ category was Menevia WI, whose extraordinary tree, nativity scene and decorations were ingeniously created from a clothes airer and wooden pegs.

Second place went to the City Council Coffee and Chat Group with a thoughtful Christmas-and-Remembrance design, featuring hand-knitted red, white and blue decorations. St Davids RNLI secured third with a lifeboat-themed tree celebrating their lifesaving work.

In the children’s category, St Davids Girl Guides took the top spot with a charming design featuring “Girl-Guide-ified” Santas, tents and the iconic Guide logo. Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi (YPD) came second with a colourful puzzle-themed tree carrying the message: “In this school you are a special piece of the puzzle.” Close behind in third place was Brawdy Hayscastle YFC with an inventive cow-themed Christmas tree.

The wreath category also highlighted the community’s talent. The Drifters claimed first place with a striking star-shaped wreath, while Lego Church secured second with a brilliantly crafted Lego design. Third place went to Rebecca Thornton for her beautifully knitted wreath featuring Santa and his reindeer.

As the Christmas lights were switched on and Cross Square filled with families, the event once again showcased the creativity and community spirit that make Wales’s smallest city shine at Christmas.

Jury expected to retire shortly in Swansea Crown Court baby abuse case

THE TRIAL of Christopher Phillips, accused of inflicting catastrophic injuries on a 10-week-old baby in Haverfordwest, moved into its final stages today (Dec 5) as the last evidence was heard and the prosecution delivered a forceful closing speech at Swansea Crown Court.

Phillips, 34, of Kiln Park in Burton, is charged with causing serious physical and sexual harm to Baby C in January 2021. The infant was taken by ambulance to Glangwili Hospital in the early hours of January 24 after suffering life-threatening internal injuries.

The baby’s mother faces separate charges of allowing serious physical harm and child cruelty for allegedly failing to protect her child.

Final evidence presented

The court resumed at 11:09am, when the prosecution submitted its final exhibit: a detailed timeline reconstructed from Phillips’ mobile phone data, charting his visits to the mother’s flat in Haverfordwest.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees KC highlighted the distances between Phillips’ home, the mother’s address and Glangwili Hospital, telling the jury that the timings were central to understanding the sequence of events that night.

This concluded the evidential phase of the trial.

Judge issues legal directions

Late this morning (Friday, Dec 5) Judge Paul Thomas KC delivered his directions to the jury, outlining the legal tests required for convictions against both Phillips and the child’s mother. He reminded jurors to consider each charge separately and to apply the law only to the evidence they had heard.

Prosecution closing speech

In her closing address at early this afternoon, Rees KC told the jury that 10-week-old Baby C had been a “happy little baby” who showed “no signs of distress” in a video recorded by his father on January 23, 2021.

She said that within hours, by the early morning of January 24, the infant was in hospital with what she described as a “gaping tear in his anus”.

Rees KC argued that the evidence of who caused the injuries “points in one way – towards Christopher Phillips”.

Turning to the baby’s mother, she said the prosecution’s case was that she was “not without blame”, telling the jury that the mother had “failed in her duty to keep her baby safe”.

“She at the very least ought to have realised that her baby was at serious risk from the man she brought into her home,” Rees KC said. “She didn’t take any steps to keep that baby safe. She prioritised Christopher Phillips over her own child.”

Jury expected to retire

No defence closing speech was delivered today, that will be on Monday.

No further evidence is scheduled.

The jury is expected to retire early next week to begin its deliberations.

The case continues at Swansea Crown Court.

THE FARMER’s UNION OF WALES has sounded the alarm over a sharp and sustained collapse in dairy prices, warning that the situation is placing intolerable pressure on family farms already grappling with regulatory change, rising costs and wider economic uncertainty.

The Union convened an emergency meeting of its Animal Health and Dairy Committee last week to assess the scale of the crisis. Representatives from across Wales reported widespread anxiety, with many members seeing milk prices fall dramatically through the autumn. Processors are now signalling further cuts in early 2026, while commodity markets offer little sign of stability heading into spring.

Farmers, fearful of jeopardising commercial relationships, have approached the FUW confidentially to express grave concern about projected milk payments for the coming months. Many say the offers being made will fall far below the cost of production.

Average milk prices are forecast at just 30–35 pence per litre, against estimated production costs of 39–44 pence per litre (Kite Consulting). On current trajectories, the FUW warns a typical Welsh dairy farm could lose thousands of pounds per month for as long as the downturn persists.

Following its committee meeting, the Union raised the matter directly with Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS during talks in Cardiff on Wednesday, December 3. Officials stressed the immediate threat facing family-run dairy farms and called for urgent consideration of government support to prevent long-term damage to the sector.

Gerwyn Williams, Chair of the FUW Animal Health and Dairy Committee, said the pace of the price crash was “unprecedented”.

“Farmers are facing an impossible situation where input costs remain high while the value of their product plummets. The viability of many family farms is now at serious risk. We need immediate assurances that this crisis is being treated with the urgency it deserves.

“Some can weather a short storm, but rumours that this could continue into summer 2026 will see businesses shut. These modest family farms have already invested heavily to meet regulatory requirements. Cuts on this scale will severely impact their ability to service repayments.”

FUW Deputy President Dai Miles warned that the consequences extend far beyond farm gates.

“Dairy farming underpins thousands of jobs in Wales and is central to the economic, social and environmental fabric of rural communities. When prices fall this sharply, it isn’t just farmers who suffer — local businesses, services and entire communities feel the impact.

“We have made it clear to the Deputy First Minister that government must work with the industry to provide immediate stability and a long-term resilience plan.”

The FUW says it will continue to work with the Welsh Government, processors and supply-chain partners to seek solutions and secure fair, sustainable prices for producers.