News

Four call outs keep the volunteer Angle Lifeboat crew busy

Published

3 years ago

July 30, 2023

THE ANGLE All-Weather Lifeboat received a request to launch at 12:58 pm on Thursday afternoon, 20th of July, following a call for assistance from a 38-meter beam trawler approximately 25 miles southwest of St Ann’s Head. The vessel had a crew member onboard who had lost a finger and required treatment and evacuation. The Coastguard Rescue helicopter R187 from St Athan had also been tasked for this operation.

The lifeboat swiftly launched and raced towards the vessel, which was heading towards the Haven to rendezvous with the lifeboat. Within an hour, the lifeboat reached the fishing vessel, and two crew members trained in casualty care were transferred onboard to assess the situation. After administering initial treatment, the casualty was safely transferred onto the lifeboat.

Shortly after, the helicopter arrived at the scene, and it was decided that the winchman would be lowered down onto the lifeboat to further assess and treat the casualty. With the paramedic winchman onboard, the casualty was lifted into the helicopter and flown to the hospital for further care.

With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to the station to prepare for service once again.

The following day at 4:48 pm, the All-Weather Lifeboat received another call, this time alongside Tenby All-Weather Lifeboat, following a PanPan call from a yacht located south of St Govan’s Head.

The yacht, with one person onboard, had experienced rigging failure and was struggling to make headway. The skipper was also severely fatigued and unwell. Both lifeboats responded swiftly, with Tenby Lifeboat already having a crew member onboard to assess the situation and assist with receiving a tow. The Angle Lifeboat joined them and put a crew member onboard the yacht as well.

After a thorough assessment of the casualty and the vessel, a tow was arranged, and once everything was in order, Tenby’s crewman returned to their lifeboat. With a member of Angle’s crew remaining onboard to assist the skipper, the lifeboat commenced a slow tow towards Milford Haven Marina, where the yacht was safely docked around 3 hours later. Satisfied that the skipper needed no further assistance, the lifeboat was stood down and prepared for service again by 9:30 pm.

At 9:24 pm on Wednesday night, 26th of July, Angle Lifeboat was paged by the Coastguard following a 999 call from a concerned member of the public reporting an unmanned dinghy drifting between Llanstadwell and Neyland. With the possibility that someone could be missing, and considering the current weather conditions, the lifeboat was requested to conduct a search of the mooring area.

The lifeboat launched promptly and arrived at Hazelbeach 10 minutes later, where the crew initiated a meticulous search of the moorings and any boats in the area, heading east towards Neyland. The Dale Coastguard Rescue Team was also on-site conducting investigations.

After discussions with members of the public, the Dale Coastguard confirmed that the vessel was from a mooring in the area, and the occupants were safe and well ashore. At this point, the Dale Coastguard Team requested assistance from the lifeboat’s inflatable Y boat to recover the dinghy. The Y boat was deployed and towed the dinghy to the Neyland pontoon, where it was securely tied alongside and handed over to the team.

With no further assistance required, the Y boat was recovered, and the lifeboat returned to the station to be readied for service once again by 11:15 pm.

Finally, at 6:21 pm yesterday, the Angle All-Weather Lifeboat was requested to launch to assist Tenby RNLI with a wing foiler in difficulty off Lydstep. The lifeboat launched promptly and began making best speed, but was subsequently stood down moments later when a jet skier in the area confirmed that the wing foiler was safe and well. With coastguard teams continuing to confirm the casualty’s safety, the lifeboats were stood down and returned to their stations.

The lifeboat was readied for service once again by 6:50 pm.

READ THIS WEEK’S PEMBROKESHIRE HERALD HERE:

Crime

Carmarthen man admits takeaway burglaries

Published

18 minutes ago

June 27, 2026

Court Reporter

Phillip Roberts stole cash from USA Chicken and returned the following day with intent to steal

A CARMARTHEN man has admitted a string of burglaries at the same takeaway business on consecutive days.

Phillip Roberts, 44, of Brewery Road, Carmarthen, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to three offences connected to USA Chicken on Blue Street.

The court heard that on June 4, Roberts entered the premises as a trespasser and stole a tip jar containing cash. He also admitted a second burglary at the same business on the same date, during which £50 cash was stolen.

A further offence took place on June 5, when Roberts entered USA Chicken as a trespasser with intent to steal.

Magistrates adjourned sentence for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. The report will consider all sentencing options, including possible committal to the Crown Court.

Roberts was granted conditional bail. He must not enter USA Chicken, Blue Street, and must not contact Mustafa Baksi, either directly or indirectly.

He is due to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 1 for sentence.

Health

Welsh Ambulance Service urges public to ‘choose wisely’ as pressures continue

Published

1 hour ago

June 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICE has issued a fresh appeal to the public following the declaration of a critical incident on Friday (June 26), as exceptionally high demand continues to place pressure on crews across Wales.

In a social media post published today (Saturday, June 27), the Trust warned that hot weather is contributing to a rise in ambulance call-outs, including incidents involving heat-related illness, falls, breathing difficulties and existing medical conditions worsened by the heat.

The message comes less than 24 hours after the service declared a critical incident amid unprecedented demand, with ambulance resources stretched across Wales.

The Trust is urging people to call 999 only for serious or life-threatening emergencies, contact NHS 111 Wales for urgent health advice, and use local pharmacies for minor illnesses and ailments.

It said choosing the right service can help ambulance crews reach the sickest patients more quickly while pressures remain high.

Crime

Six arrested after immigration raids at Florentino’s restaurants

Published

2 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIX people have been arrested following Immigration Enforcement raids at Florentino’s Italian restaurants in Tenby and Carmarthen.

Officers visited the Tenby branch in St Julian’s Street on June 18, where two Romanian nationals were identified as allegedly having no right to work in the UK. Both were arrested on suspicion of illegal working.

The Tenby operation followed an earlier raid at Florentino’s in Carmarthen in February, where four workers — two Romanian nationals, a Bangladeshi national and a Mongolian national — were also arrested on suspicion of illegal working.

The Herald previously reported in March that the Carmarthen restaurant had been linked to a major HMRC case, after Claudio Cernat Ltd, formerly trading as Florentino’s on Jacksons Lane, was listed over a £278,000 deliberate tax underpayment and a further £186,000 penalty.

Immigration officials say inquiries are now under way to establish who may be liable for employing the individuals. Employers found to have breached illegal working rules can face civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker.

One of the Tenby workers has already returned, while the other is in the process of returning. Of the Carmarthen workers, two have returned, one was placed on immigration bail and another was de-arrested with a warning.

Immigration Enforcement Lead for Wales, Richard Johnson, said: “I want to thank my officers who showed the highest levels of professionalism under challenging circumstances on these operations.

“Immigration Enforcement teams in Wales continue to work round the clock to ensure businesses play by the rules and those with no right to be in the UK are tracked down and returned at the earliest opportunity.”

The Home Office says illegal working enforcement has increased significantly since July 2024, with raids and arrests rising across the UK and Wales.

No finding has yet been made against the restaurant operators in relation to the latest arrests.

Florentino’s has been approached for comment.