News

Sea Empress disaster 20 years on

Published

10 years ago

March 2, 2016

IT WAS one of the biggest environmental disasters ever to hit UK shores and now 20 years on from the Sea Empress disaster RSPCA staff are looking back at the role they played in helping to save hundreds of seabirds and mammals.

Early on the evening of 15 February, 1996 the Sea Empress, a single hull oil tanker, hit rocks on its way into the Cleddau Estuary and the ship’s cargo of 130,000 tonnes of crude North Sea oil started to spill into the waters off Pembrokeshire.

The RSPCA launched a massive rescue operation in response to the disaster in an effort to save the thousands of oiled and dying seabirds that were so badly affected by the slick.

Scores of volunteers helped open and run a makeshift animal hospital – set up in an old industrial unit – where more than 7,000 dead or oiled birds were taken – while inspectors, drivers and wildlife centre staff experts worked around the clock to nurse, clean and feed as many of the birds back to health as they could.

“The rescue operation took a massive team effort,” said RSPCA chief inspector for the south west Wales inspectorate group, Romain de Kerckhove, who held the same position 20 years ago.

“It quickly became apparent that this incident was of a scale that needed national resources, and a roster was arranged that invited colleagues from all over England and Wales to become involved,” he said.

“Officers would attend, for a limited period, and would work extremely long days, responding to calls from the public, and patrolling beaches to search for victims of the disaster.

“They were accommodated locally, and would be replaced by other colleagues in order to keep the team fresh and strong. Some officers would actually sleep on camp beds at the temporary bird rescue holding/cleaning facility, in order to ensure that there were people on site overseeing the welfare of the birds 24/7.

“This was a rescue that involved teams from across the entire RSPCA, as well as countless volunteers who would work with us, and assist the RSPCA teams both at the cleaning and rehab centre, as well as on the beaches.

“It was hard work, but everyone enjoyed the atmosphere and being involved in such a worthwhile and much needed rescue operation.”

Richard Abbott, who is now an RSPCA chief inspector, was the officer on duty the night the Sea Empress ran aground. “I recall speaking to a Brecon RCC (Brecon Regional Control Centre) tasker who said they had received a call saying a tanker had run aground at Milford Haven and was leaking 30,000 gallons of oil.

I recall thinking, no chance, that’s never going to have happened, not these days with twin hulled tankers. I asked the tasker to ring the Coastguard to double check as I was driving and enroute to an emergency at the time, about 10.30pm ish.

“She rang me back about five minutes later and said to my astonishment that the Coastguard had confirmed the report. I pulled over and rang the chief inspector Romain de Kerckhove at home and started the response.

“I got back in about 1am that night and by 7am I had the call that I was needed to help set up the emergency response centre. A few hours later chief inspector Romain de Kerckhove arrived and took over.

“It was incredibly stressful for those three to four weeks, as we dealt with thousands birds and managed many rescue organisations. It was a steep learning curve.”

RSPCA inspector Rohan Barker attended the day after the incident with chief inspector Romain de Kerckhove.

“We spent two days putting together our response working with several organisations with very few birds coming in during the initial couple of days – but then the onslaught started.

“We worked 15 hour shifts collecting birds, setting up the cleaning station at a local industrial estate building provided by the council.

“Birds were collected by inspectors, animal collection officers and members of the public, brought to the station, initially cleaned and shipped off to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre by a fleet of vans.”

Dermot Murphy, who is now assistant director of inspectorate at the RSPCA, was one of the convoy of ambulance drivers drafted in from across the country at the time of the disaster to help ship stricken birds from the Pembrokeshire coast to the makeshift hospital.

“I was an RSPCA Ambulance Driver in London then, with just over a year’s service. I was sent to Milford Haven with an Inspector for a week.

“I had never seen anything like it. So many birds covered in oil in a terrible state, they were still being washed up two weeks into the operation. The birds that stuck in my mind were the common scoter, which is a sea duck. There were so many of them, an incredible amount and in such a bad way too.

“We had a busy week and did a range of duties, from collecting food to feed staff, patrolling beaches looking for oiled birds and cutting up food to feed the birds. It was a massive cleaning operation.”

Inside the RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre in Somerset Paul Oaten was one of the team at the ready to take in casualties as they arrived in their droves from the Welsh coastline.

“We took in around 1,200 oiled birds. at the time of the Sea Empress disaster. They were covered in thick oil. Most of the casualties were scoters, and they were very badly affected.

“Luckily we had a lot of volunteers that came in to help with the sheer volume of birds that were coming in through the doors every day. People were happy to come in and wash towels while others spent their days cutting up sprats (fish) for the birds to eat.

“Those that were tasked with washing the birds would be in teams of two. One would hold the birds, the other would clean it using Fairy liquid. They would have a pre-clean where we would try to get as much of the oil off as possible without stressing the birds out. It was so important to get the oil off their plumage, not just because of the feathers but so that we could try to prevent them from ingesting the oil and stop it from burning them too.

“A lot of the birds were emaciated because they could not feed so building their strength back up and increasing their weight was also an important part of the process.”

He added: “Every role was vital to ensure we could keep the steady flow of birds through the cleaning system and the sense of teamwork was immense. That is my overwhelming memory of that time. the teamwork. It was so uplifting. The days were long and it was hard work but we were all working towards a common goal of trying to save these poor stricken birds.”

WWF-UK Head of Marine Policy Dr Lyndsey Dodds said told The Herald: “20 years on from the Sea Empress, Welsh waters are busier than ever but management is still piecemeal.

“The forthcoming Welsh National Marine Plan offers the opportunity to strategically manage activities that can impact upon Wales’s natural assets and should include provisions to ensure that the risks to the most sensitive areas from both accidental and chronic pollution are minimised.”

Crime

Welsh mother sent indecent image of daughter to convicted sex offender

Published

2 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Woman handed suspended sentence after sending photos of primary school child to known paedophile she was “in a relationship” with

A WELSH mother has avoided immediate prison after admitting she sent indecent photographs of her young daughter to a convicted paedophile she described as being “in a relationship” with.

The woman, aged in her 30s, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to making and distributing an indecent image of a child.

The case emerged when West Mercia Police recovered images from a known sex offender’s device during an unrelated investigation. Officers identified that several of the images had been sent by the child’s mother and passed the intelligence to South Wales Police.

Eight photographs of the primary school-aged girl had been shared. One image, described in court as Category C, showed the child half-naked on a sofa.

When officers arrived at the family home to arrest her, the defendant was overheard telling her children: “Mummy has been in conversation with a silly man who had got her into trouble.”

During interview, the court heard she struggled to explain her behaviour. She told police her relationship with her partner at the time had broken down and she had felt “lost”, adding that she had “enjoyed the attention” from the man.

Sentencing, His Honour Paul Thomas KC described the offending as a “terrible breach of trust”.

He said sending such an image to a man she knew was a paedophile who wanted it for sexual gratification was “wholly beyond most people’s comprehension”.

The judge added it was fortunate her “pandering” to the offender had been uncovered before matters escalated further.

While acknowledging that any punishment would “pale into insignificance” compared with the lifelong consequences for the family, he said the offence crossed a serious threshold.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons in order to protect the identity of her daughter, has no previous convictions. The court was told her children are no longer in her care.

Defence counsel said she had been tearful and remorseful, telling solicitors she had “ruined her life”. A psychiatric assessment diagnosed her with complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

She was handed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The court also imposed:

– 150 hours of unpaid work
– Completion of a rehabilitation programme
– Registration as a sex offender for ten years
– A Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years

Child protection specialists say the case underlines the risks of online relationships and the importance of reporting concerns early, particularly where vulnerable adults may be targeted by known offenders.

If you are worried about a child’s safety, contact police on 101 or report concerns anonymously via Crimestoppers.

Climate

Ice warning issued as temperatures fall below freezing across Pembrokeshire

Published

3 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cold snap expected to create hazardous roads and pavements overnight into Monday morning

PEMBROKESHESHIRE residents are being urged to take extra care after a yellow weather warning for ice was issued for the whole of Wales.

The alert, issued by the Met Office, covers the period from late Sunday night (Feb 1) until mid-morning on Monday (Feb 2), with temperatures expected to drop to around minus two degrees Celsius in some areas.

Forecasters say wet roads and surfaces left by earlier showers are likely to freeze quickly after dark, creating icy stretches on untreated roads, pavements and rural lanes across Pembrokeshire.

Travel disruption possible

The Met Office warns that icy patches may form widely, increasing the risk of slips and falls and making journeys slower and more hazardous, particularly during the Monday morning commute.

Untreated side roads, country routes and shaded areas are expected to be most affected, with black ice possible in places where frost is not easily visible.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time for journeys, slow down and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. Pedestrians are urged to wear suitable footwear and take care on steps, slopes and pavements.

Gritting teams are expected to treat main routes overnight, but officials warn that not every road can be covered.

Local outlook

Temperatures across the county are forecast to fall sharply after sunset on Sunday, with frost forming widely before dawn. Inland and higher ground areas are likely to see the coldest conditions.

Residents are also being encouraged to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and ensure homes are adequately heated during the cold spell.

Conditions are expected to improve later on Monday as temperatures rise above freezing, but further updates may be issued if the forecast changes.

News

People in Wales urged to ensure lifesaving skills are up to date during Defibruary

Published

3 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ST JOHN AMBULANCE CYMRU is stressing the literally lifesaving importance of CPR and defibrillator skills this February, with the charity’s volunteers having helped save the lives of four people at public events last year alone.

The first aid charity for Wales’ annual Defibruary campaign is providing more ways for people to learn lifesavingskills and find out where their nearest defibrillator is, so they can act quickly should a cardiac arrest happen nearby.

This year’s campaign includes opportunities to take part in hands-on demonstrations, learn online, highlight defib locations, as well as donate to support the charity’s work to make Wales a community of lifesavers.

Though there are now over 8,500 publicly accessible defibrillators in Wales, recent research suggests only 25% of people had been trained to use them and they were only used in 8% of cases when someone suffered a cardiac arrest outside of hospital.

St John Ambulance Cymru Chief Executive and Paramedic , Richard Lee said: “The aim of our Defibruary campaign is to make sure more people have the skills to help if someone near them goes into cardiac arrest, including knowing how to find where their nearest defibrillator is, which can help save vital seconds.

“Though St John People provided medical cover at around 1,000 public events last year and helped save four lives as a result, over 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home.

“With the chances of survival reducing by 10% with every minute that passes without action, it’s crucial that people know how to perform CPR and where to find their nearest defibrillator. This will give your family, neighbours, friends and visitors the best chance of survival and buy crucial time for medical assistance to arrive.

“Even if you’ve completed training before, it’s worth brushing up on your knowledge so you are aware of the latest advice, with the UK Resuscitation Council having released updated guidelines at the end of last year.”

To help raise awareness of where defibs are located your community, St John Ambulance Cymru has launched a #DogsAtDefibs social media campaign, where people can post a photo of their pooch next to a defib while they’re out for a wander.

You can check where your nearest defibrillators are located via The Circuit’s Defib Finder website:www.defibfinder.uk.

To support St John Ambulance Cymru’s Defibruary campaign, text DEFIB to 70480 to donate £5. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from us.

If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more from us, please text DEFIBNOINFO instead.

To find out more about St John Ambulance Cymru’s Defibruary campaign, including where public events are taking place, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk/defibruary.