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Pembrokeshire’s ‘coal king’ lifts one of world’s oldest 127 kg lifting stones

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A Pembrokeshire man has successfully lifted one of the world’s oldest lifting stones following three previous attempts to raise the 127kg Bodach stone onto its plinth in Perthshire.

Derek Burton travelled to Scotland last week, determined to quash his three previous failed attempts, and raise the 280 lb stone from the ground onto the adjoining plinth.

“Yes, there’s been a lot of hardship and pain along the way, but having finally lifted the Bodach makes it all worthwhile,” Derek told The Pembrokeshire Herald from his home in St Dogmaels.

“The first time I tried to lift the stone was four years ago, and I couldn’t even get it off the soil.

“The second time I managed to break it off the ground after 15 attempts, by around four inches, and the third time there was a massive downpour, but I still managed to get it onto my lap.

“But to qualify for a lift, the stone has to be raised onto the plinth.  So I put everything into it, made the 600-mile trip to Scotland once again, and this time I succeeded.”

The Bodach, which is also known as the Fianna Stone, is believed to be the world’s oldest liftable historic stone, and dates from before the turn of the 11th century.  According to legend, it was used as an ancient testing stone for the Fianna Warriors who were protecting their land from foreign invaders.

“What makes the Bodach particularly difficult to lift is its shape,” continued Derek.  “It’s light on one side but extremely heavy on the other.”

Derek has been lifting stones for the past ten years and carries out regular training sessions with natural stones in his garden.  He has also placed two lifting stones in the Preseli Mountains for other people to lift. He has named them Cerrig Ifan – Ifan’s Stones – in memory of a young child who lost his life on a farm in Blaenffos, north Pembrokeshire.

“So those stones will stay there forevermore, in memory of Ifan, at their site near Garn Gwr, which is just past Foel Drygarn,” said Derek.

“Yes, of course there are times when I hit that point when things get painful, but I know that I’ll never give up.  If I don’t succeed the first time, if I don’t reach whatever goal I’m aiming for, I’ll just keep going, because however tough things are, I’ll get there in the end.”

Derek’s commitment is now being shared by Cardigan’s Criw Glo which is a team of women who regularly carry 50kg sacks of coal over extensive distances to raise money for local charities.  Over the past eight years they have clocked up over 1,000 road miles and have donated more than £70,000 to numerous local charities.  The team is  currently in training for two new coal carrying challenges in 2025, which will take place in April and June. 

Meanwhile Derek has had his coal carrying challenges applauded at the Pride of Britain Award and has been named ITV Cymru’s Fundraiser of the Year.

“I suppose this is how my stone lifting started,” he explains.  “As a child I remember watching our local coalman carrying two hundredweight sacks of coal on his back into our house in St Dogmaels instead of just a hundredweight, as he said it saved him from having to go back for the second load.  I couldn’t believe that anyone could do this, so I decided to get my own hundredweight of coal and find out for myself.  And that’s how the charity coal carrying idea started.

“The Criw Glo is having such a positive impact on all the people who take part as it’s showing them, too, that with determination, they can do it.”

Meanwhile Derek is looking forward to his next stone lifting challenges.

“There are a few more stones in Scotland that I’d like to lift, but there are also a few big ones in Iceland that I’m determined to have a go at.

“Obviously when you do something like this you can get injured or hurt, but I know that whatever I do, my mamgu (grandmother) is always with me.  Whenever I feel like quitting, I know she’s there.  And this is what keeps me going, each and every time.”

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Residents meet councillor and police at community event in Monkton

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RESIDENTS in Monkton had the chance to speak directly with their local councillor and police officers this week (Apr 22) during a community engagement event held at Tenby Court.

The “meet the street” event was attended by County Councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, alongside officers from Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Police.

Also present was Danny from Pembrokeshire County Council’s housing team, who offered on-the-spot support to residents dealing with housing-related issues.

Cllr Grimes thanked all those who came out to say hello and take part in the initiative, which aims to bring local services closer to the community.

These “meet the street” events are part of an ongoing effort to improve communication between local authorities and residents, addressing concerns and offering help where needed.

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News

Parc prison under fire as MP slams abusive staff culture

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Welsh Affairs Chair demands answers after Herald exclusive reveals shocking officer messages

THE CHAIR of the Welsh Affairs Committee has demanded urgent answers from the leadership of HMP Parc after a Pembrokeshire Herald exclusive revealed prison officers had shared messages joking about violence and mocking prisoners in language described as “offensive and abusive.”

In a strongly worded letter to both Will Styles, Director of HMP Parc, and Gordon Brockington, Managing Director of G4S Care and Rehabilitation Services, Ruth Jones MP said the revelations—first reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald in March—raise serious questions about the culture at the troubled Bridgend prison.

Our investigation, published on March 29, exposed a series of leaked messages exchanged by Parc staff, some of which joked about excessive force, mocked inmates in distress, and included dehumanising language. The messages painted a disturbing picture of contempt and cynicism within the ranks of prison officers—fueling concerns about systemic issues that go beyond poor management or underfunding.

📰 Read the original Herald investigation here

“A sobering reminder”

Jones, who chairs the influential Welsh Affairs Committee, said the messages were “deeply concerning” and highlighted “demeaning and offensive behaviour towards prisoners.”

“Even if many of these messages are historic, they paint an alarming picture,” she said. “That seventeen Parc inmates died last year remains a sobering reminder of the risks if prisoner safety is not made a priority.”

Her committee is now seeking detailed answers from G4S regarding its staff conduct policies, including guidance on social media use and how violations are dealt with. In her letter, Jones also criticised the Ministry of Justice for supplying a quarterly progress report on Parc that was “so lacking in detail we were unable to publish it.”

“This lack of transparency is deeply unhelpful for the confidence Parc needs to rebuild amongst the local community and the families of the men held at HMP Parc,” she added.

From leaked messages to political fallout

The Pembrokeshire Herald was the first news organisation to publish details of the leaked communications, which included jokes about suicide watch, racial slurs, and bragging about rough treatment of inmates. The story prompted widespread concern and has now formed part of the evidence base for the Committee’s intervention.

The messages came to light shortly before the publication of a damning inspection report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons, which detailed how drugs had been found nearly 900 times in 2024, violence was rife, and 17 men had died—many of them after suspected overdoses involving synthetic opioids like nitazenes.

A culture problem, not just a crisis

While new director Will Styles has been praised for halting further deaths since his arrival in mid-2024, the message scandal suggests the rot may go deeper than operational failings.

Jones said her committee would raise these concerns directly with the Ministry of Justice. “Safety at Parc prison remains a top priority,” she said. “I plan to meet with the Ministry to discuss how progress is being monitored and what oversight is in place.”

G4S remains under pressure

A spokesperson for G4S has yet to address the leaked messages specifically but previously told The Herald that the company was “working tirelessly on a comprehensive improvement plan.”

However, with the credibility of that plan now under question, and MPs demanding transparency and accountability, the pressure on G4S and the Ministry of Justice is mounting.

As Ruth Jones warned: “Local communities around Parc, and the families of men held there, must be able to trust that inmates are being treated with dignity.” The Herald will continue to hold those in charge to account—and shine a light on the failures still facing one of Britain’s most troubled prisons.

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Welsh Conservatives urge review of sex education after ‘choking’ lesson claims

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Concerns raised over PSHE content in Bridgend schools

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have called for an immediate review of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons in Bridgend, following reports that pupils were taught about sexual practices involving choking.

Natasha Asghar MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, has written to Labour’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, requesting urgent clarification and action. The lessons, she claims, could risk normalising “harmful, misogynistic behaviours” among young people.

Ms Asghar said she was particularly concerned about the message such lessons might send to young girls and warned of the potential influence of violent pornography on youth culture.

“This is a matter of great urgency. Schools should be places of learning, not environments where harmful behaviours are taught or normalised,” she said.

“This is an alarming indication of the cultural shift towards violent and demeaning acts towards women and young girls being perceived as acceptable. Our education system must actively counter such trends, not contribute to them.”

The Welsh Conservatives have called for Bridgend County Council to work closely with domestic abuse charities, such as Welsh Women’s Aid, and with survivors of abuse, to ensure that sex education lessons are delivered appropriately and sensitively.

“These sensitive and serious topics should be addressed with care and expertise, not reduced to PowerPoint presentations,” Ms Asghar added. She has requested a ministerial statement in the Senedd next week.

Calls for context and clarity

The Welsh Government has not yet responded to the claims. It is currently unclear which materials or lesson plans were involved, or whether the lessons were part of approved curriculum guidance.

Sex education in Wales is now taught under the new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) framework, which became mandatory in 2022 and aims to provide age-appropriate, inclusive and factual information to pupils across all schools.

Supporters of the new framework say it aims to equip young people with knowledge about consent, respectful relationships and personal safety. Some experts argue that avoiding topics like pornography or rough sex may leave young people unprepared or misinformed.

The Herald understands that some education professionals have defended the inclusion of difficult topics—such as choking or coercive sexual behaviour—when taught responsibly and in age-appropriate ways, as a way of tackling myths, preventing harm and encouraging discussion around consent.

Bridgend County Borough Council has not commented publicly on the matter, but the issue is likely to be raised formally in the Senedd next week.

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