News
Heroes of the storm: How Council workers rallied during rare red wind warning

PEMBROKESHIRE experienced a weekend of extreme weather as Storm Darragh brought chaos to the region, prompting an extraordinary display of teamwork and community spirit.
The rare red wind warning issued for the storm led to severe disruptions, with hundreds of trees felled and homes left without power. From late Friday (Dec 6) into the weekend, Pembrokeshire County Council’s highways teams worked tirelessly to clear roads and ensure public safety.
In the midst of 100mph gusts, crews braved perilous conditions, with around 50 trees reported down within a single hour. As one blockage was cleared, others fell, creating a relentless cycle of challenges.
Overwhelmed but not overcome
The Council’s Out of Hours service was inundated with over 400 calls, ranging from storm-related emergencies to unrelated issues such as broken boilers and carbon monoxide alarms. Meanwhile, social care teams and commissioned services acted swiftly to ensure the county’s most vulnerable residents were cared for amid the chaos.
More than 250 urgent call-outs were made to individuals with community alarms, followed by welfare visits to check on those without heat or electricity. Leisure service staff extended operating hours on Sunday to provide warm spaces for those in need, and community hubs, coordinated by PAVS, delivered critical information and support.
Leadership and gratitude
Chief Executive Will Bramble and Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey visited the Templeton Depot to personally thank the highways teams and other staff who worked around the clock.
Cllr Harvey said: “The effort to clean up and repair damage from Storm Darragh will continue for some time. Huge thanks go to the members of our community who helped with the initial clean-up and checked on family, friends, and neighbours.
“The collaboration between the Council, Police, health services, and the fantastic communities of Pembrokeshire was truly remarkable. We are incredibly grateful for how everyone pulled together during such a challenging time.”
Meanwhile Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant said: “The effects of Storm Bert have been devastating for our communities and my heart goes out to everyone affected.
“It’s clear that the dedicated staff at Lido Ponty and Ynysangharad Park have worked tirelessly to secure their sites and undertake recovery works. Their efforts have been truly commendable.
“Our local authorities have also demonstrated incredible resilience and I would like to thank them for their collective efforts while responding to the flooding damage.
“We will continue to provide support as we recover from the storm. Our priority is, and always will be, to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities.”
Ongoing support
For those still without power or water, leisure centres, including the reopened Fishguard centre, remain available for warmth, showers, and device charging.
Support can be accessed through the Community Hub at 01437 723660 or by emailing [email protected]. Generators are available for those in need by calling 01437 764551 or emailing [email protected].
Residents are urged to check on neighbours and the vulnerable. Concerns about anyone without power can also be directed to National Grid on 105, which has arrangements with the Red Cross to provide assistance.
The storm may have brought destruction, but Pembrokeshire’s resilience and unity have shone brightly in its aftermath.
Crime
Owner sentenced after Shetland ponies found in poor condition —one died

A WEST WALES man has been sentenced after two Shetland ponies—one dead and one alive—were found in a severely poor body condition.
Stephen Edward Griffiths (born 12 December 1962), of Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire, appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Feb 13) for sentencing after pleading guilty to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
The court heard that Griffiths caused unnecessary suffering to a male Shetland pony by failing to investigate and address its poor body condition. He was also convicted of failing to ensure the needs of two ponies—a female grey Shetland and a male skewbald Shetland—by not providing a suitable environment, adequate diet, or treatment for rain scald and lice infestation.
Griffiths was sentenced to a 16-week prison term for each offence, to run concurrently, suspended for two years. He was also disqualified from keeping equines for 10 years, given a one-year community order, ordered to complete 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days, and told to pay £250 in costs. The court heard he was remorseful.

RSPCA investigation
RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben visited the location on June 18 last year following concerns raised about the welfare of two Shetland ponies.
“When I arrived, I observed a dead grey Shetland pony in thin condition with hair loss. A chain was attached to a collar around its neck but not secured to anything at the other end,” he said.
Nearby was a skewbald Shetland pony in an emaciated state. Its spine and ribs were clearly visible, and it had a skin condition. The pony had been sprayed with purple spray and was tethered by a chain to a tree.
A bucket of water was found near the pony, but the caller who alerted the RSPCA had placed it there.
Griffiths told Inspector Hogben that the grey Shetland pony had been dead for a few days but he had been unable to move the body due to a broken tractor. He also claimed he had only had the ponies for a few months and had rescued the skewbald pony from Cross Hands.
Veterinary findings
An equine vet attended and deemed the skewbald pony fit to travel. It was later signed over into RSPCA care.
In a witness statement, the vet described the skewbald Shetland stallion as being in very poor condition, tethered on a short chain of approximately eight feet.
“He had very limited access to forage due to the tether, and the available space was well grazed. He also had a severe lice infestation,” the vet said. The pony was given a Body Condition Score of 0.5 out of five.
The dead grey Shetland mare was also in extremely poor condition, with a Body Condition Score of 0.5 out of five.
“Her spine and spinous processes were protruding, her ribs were clearly visible despite her long coat, and her pelvis was skeletal. She had been dead for several days,” the vet reported.
Rescue and recovery
The male Shetland pony, later named Groovy Bob, has since recovered following veterinary treatment and has been rehomed by the RSPCA.
Crime
Pembrokeshire learning support assistant to be sentenced for child neglect

A PEMBROKESHIRE Learning Support Assistant has appeared before magistrates charged with ill-treating and causing unnecessary suffering to her two children.
This week, Haverfordwest magistrates were shown shocking photographs of the appalling living conditions the children endured between November 2019 and June 2024.
Their bedding was infested with maggots and flies, while a potty containing faeces was left in one of the bedrooms. Faeces were also smeared across the walls and floors.
“It’s difficult to say what effect this will have on those children,” said Crown Prosecutor Nia James.
The children’s beds had no appropriate bedding, only dirty rags. Magistrates heard that concerns were initially raised by one of the children’s teachers after noticing a maggot on the carpet near where the child had been sitting.
“The child said there were flies in his bedroom because of the rubbish,” said Nia James. “He also said he was unable to sleep because of the maggots in his bed.”
Following the school’s concerns, a welfare check was carried out at the family home in Milford Haven.
“Significant issues were noted,” continued James. “There was a stale odour, numerous flies, and a foul smell coming from the fridge. There was a limited amount of food in the cupboards, and the dining room was inaccessible due to clutter, as was one of the bedrooms.
“Faeces were smeared across the walls and floors, and there was no bedding on the beds, just dirty rags. Takeaway boxes and large quantities of rubbish were strewn over the floor, and in one bedroom, a toilet-type potty still contained excrement.
“These were the conditions the children had been living in for years, not just a couple of months.
“This was severe, long-term neglect, with flies and maggot infestations and the smell of urine on the children.”
James told magistrates that the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is employed as an LSA.
“As an education worker, she should have been aware of the circumstances, given her day-to-day job,” added James.
After hearing the prosecution’s evidence, magistrates declined jurisdiction after the 39-year-old woman pleaded guilty to both charges. As a result, she will now be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on March 11.
She was released on conditional bail, with restrictions preventing her from having unsupervised contact with her children unless approved by social services or police. She must also continue to reside at her home address.
Crime
Milford man remanded over cannabis possession and cultivation

A MILFORD HAVEN man accused of cultivating cannabis at his home address has been remanded in custody by magistrates.
Reece Cookson, 33, is accused of growing the Class B controlled drug at his property in Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven following a search carried out by police officers on January 19.
He is further charged with possessing 995.4 grams of cannabis and of assaulting a female causing her actual bodily harm at the Mount Estate on the same date.
This week, Cookson appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates via a video link from Swansea Prison, where he is being remanded in custody pending his trial, which will take place on March 10.
Following a request from the Crown Prosecution Service, Cookson’s remand will continue due to concerns that he will reoffend and interfere with prosecution witnesses.
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