News

Family devastated by tragic fire that claimed life of 5-year-old Alysia

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2024

A TRAGIC fire that claimed the life of a five-year-old girl, described as the “happiest little girl who was always smiling,” started in her bedroom, an inquest heard today.

Alysia Salisbury, who lived with her mother, two sisters, and her mother’s partner in Pontyglasier, near Crymych, died in the house fire on 28 May last year. Pembrokeshire Coroner Paul Bennett revealed during the inquest that Alysia, who was autistic, had a particular fascination with sensory experiences, including fire.

Her mother, Tara Salisbury, noted that Alysia was often captivated by the shape and movement of flames, particularly during family celebrations. “On her birthday, she would become distracted by the candles on her cake,” Tara explained. As a result, the family took precautions to limit access to potential fire hazards in the home.

Alysia’s older sister kept a lighter securely locked in a click-lock box on top of a tall cupboard in her attic bedroom. The only other lighter was stored outside the house in the family’s catering van.

On the evening of 27 May, Alysia had been enjoying a “sister sleepover” in her sibling’s first-floor bedroom. At around 9:30 pm, her older sister briefly went downstairs to warm a brioche in the oven. At this time, Alysia’s eldest sister was in her attic bedroom, while her mother and her partner were in their room.

Five minutes after the oven was turned on, the property’s smoke alarm sounded. Tara initially assumed it was triggered by the oven, as had happened before, and went downstairs to try to silence it. Her partner and the two sisters also came out of their rooms to investigate. There were no immediate signs of fire, and the door to Alysia’s bedroom remained shut.

However, moments later, smoke began to descend the stairs, and the family realised there was a fire in Alysia’s room. Tara and her partner rushed to open the bedroom door, only to find the nearby wooden desk fully engulfed in flames. The fire rapidly spread across the ceiling and out of the room, reaching the attic stairs.

Despite their efforts to control the fire, they were forced to leave the house as the flames intensified. Seconds later, the windows shattered, and the fire spread further. Firefighters arrived at the scene but were unable to save Alysia, who was found at 1:05 am the next morning.

In a heartfelt statement, Tara described Alysia as “one of a kind” and shared that the family would “miss that little smile every day for the rest of their lives.”

Jason Woodman, a fire investigator with the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, reported that the lighter from Alysia’s sister’s attic bedroom had been used to ignite something on the desk in the first-floor bedroom. Although there were scented candles on the desk, he could not definitively say whether they or another flammable item had started the blaze. The room had what was described as a “heavy fire load,” which caused the fire to spread quickly.

Tara explained that Alysia, despite her young age, was capable of using a lighter. Due to her autism, she had no fear of danger and would likely have been mesmerised by the flames as the fire grew.

A post-mortem conducted by Dr Stephen Leadbeatter at the University Hospital of Wales concluded that Alysia died from exposure to fire and fire effluent. Pembrokeshire Coroner Paul Bennett described the tragedy as unimaginable. “I cannot begin to imagine the horror and sheer sense of helplessness that Tara and Joshua went through,” he said. “To lose a young person is tragic, but to do so in such desperate circumstances cannot be comprehended.”

Mr Bennett recorded a verdict of accidental death and extended his deepest condolences to Alysia’s family. Tara concluded her statement by saying, “We miss her terribly. She was very, very loved and will be very, very missed for a long time.”

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

46 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

1 hour ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

13 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include: