News

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

Published

1 month 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.”

Entertainment

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

Published

15 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.

Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

Expanded event

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:
“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

Festive treats and unique gifts

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

Community effort

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:
“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.

News

New hope for rare dormouse after forest find

Published

16 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A RARE hazel dormouse has been discovered in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, bringing fresh hope for the survival of the endangered species in the area.

The golden-brown rodent, known for its distinctive big eyes and long whiskers, has seen a dramatic population decline across Britain—down 70% since 2000. It is now one of seven vulnerable mammals in Wales.

Conservationists made the significant find during a project aimed at linking habitats across the park. Volunteers had set up nesting boxes in the Nevern woodland, roughly five miles west of the dormouse’s known habitat in Pengelli Forest.

A lucky discovery

Park conservationist Mary Chadwick said the team had been trying to connect isolated dormouse populations across the park’s ancient oak woodlands, including Pengelli Forest and areas near the Pentre Ifan Neolithic site.

“We were looking at linking up those important sites and checking whether populations were isolated,” she explained. “A licensed dormouse volunteer took on a new site and set up the boxes. It can take years for dormice to use the boxes, but we got lucky this year.”

The discovery marks the first recorded dormouse population in the Nevern valley, raising hopes for the species’ ability to spread across the landscape and bolster genetic diversity—key to its long-term survival.

Supporting conservation efforts

To ensure a brighter future for dormice, conservationists are calling on farmers and landowners to adopt wildlife-friendly practices, such as cutting hedgerows less frequently.

“We’re asking people to trim hedges on alternate sides each year,” said Ms. Chadwick. “That would be much better for our dormice.”

Building a future

With ongoing conservation efforts and discoveries like this, researchers hope the dormouse can move closer to recovery in Pembrokeshire. The new find has confirmed their belief that dormice could thrive across the Nevern valley, creating vital connections between isolated populations.

*Nesting boxes placed in the forest where dormice were found (Pic: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park)*

Crime

Burglar jailed for stealing cars worth £90,000 from Sinclair Garage

Published

16 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Tom Sinclair

BRIAN DAVIS, 53, of Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to three counts of non-dwelling burglary at Swansea Crown Court.

The court heard that Davis and an accomplice targeted Sinclair Garages in Neyland during the early hours of April 2 last year, stealing four vehicles: a Mercedes CLA, an Audi A1, an Audi Q3, and a Volkswagen Tiguan worth around £90,000 in total.

Sentencing Davis, Judge Paul Thomas KC said the crimes were too severe for a suspended sentence and noted little hope of rehabilitation. “These offences display planning and determination,” the judge remarked.

The burglars forced entry into the garage, using a crowbar to access a key storage board. Nine sets of keys were stolen, allowing them to take multiple vehicles. Prosecutor Matthew Murphy told the court: “The men left with two cars initially, returned 14 minutes later to steal a third, and returned again for a fourth.”

The stolen cars were valued at approximately £90,000. Three vehicles – the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A1, and Audi Q3 – were recovered the following day. However, the Mercedes CLA, worth £12,382, was only located in January this year. Damages included £5,541 to replace locks on several vehicles.

Police traced Davis through partial fingerprints found on a glove left in one of the stolen cars. He was arrested after surrendering at Haverfordwest Police Station on August 14.

Struggles with addiction

The court heard Davis had left Pembrokeshire in December, breaching post-sentence supervision for an unrelated offence, to stay with family in Glasgow and recover from drug addiction. Stuart John, defending, explained: “The defendant struggled with heroin addiction from a young age. Family bereavements caused a relapse.”

Mr John noted that Davis had been clean when he returned to Pembrokeshire and voluntarily handed himself in. While in custody, Davis completed courses and attended counselling, demonstrating awareness of the consequences of further drug use.

Recovered vehicles