Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

Community

Tragic hospital crash: Father speaks of the moment he lost baby daughter

Published

on

A GREIVING father has spoken of the horrific moment he lost his eight-month-old daughter in a tragic crash outside Withybush Hospital. Rob Hall, originally from Fishguard and now living in Neath, was visiting his dying mother when a car ploughed into him, his brother, and his baby daughter, Mabli, as they stood outside the hospital in June 2023.

The devastating incident occurred while Rob was taking a short walk with Mabli in her pram, just minutes after they had said goodbye to his mother inside the hospital. A white BMW, driven by 71-year-old Bridget Curtis from Begelly, accelerated across a pavement and struck them. The impact threw Rob into a nearby parking bay and crushed Mabli’s pram beneath the vehicle. The baby girl was rushed to hospital with catastrophic injuries but tragically passed away four days later.

Speaking about the moment of the crash, Rob recalled: “I heard this horrible revving and screeching. The next thing I saw was this white car airborne. That was it. I was hit and thrown into a parking bay. The first thing I saw was the pram underneath the car. There was chaos, people running everywhere. Three nurses came over and picked me up because I couldn’t walk or stand. That didn’t matter. What mattered was where Mabli was.”

Mabli was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and later transferred to a children’s hospital in Bristol. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, doctors informed Rob and his wife Gwen that their daughter would not survive. She passed away in the early hours of June 25, just days after Rob’s mother had also succumbed to illness.

Curtis was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court last month after admitting to causing Mabli’s death by dangerous driving. The court heard that she had left the engine of her BMW running while looking for her handbag. The vehicle suddenly lurched forward, travelling 28 metres and reaching speeds of 30mph before the devastating collision. Judge Geraint Walters described the crash footage as “something that words cannot describe” and sentenced Curtis to four years in prison.

Rob and Gwen have expressed frustration over the drawn-out legal process and Curtis’s refusal to provide answers in the aftermath of the tragedy. “We waited so long for justice,” said Rob. “She answered ‘no comment’ to questions about what happened. To us, that is disgusting.”

Despite their grief, the couple have been overwhelmed by the support they have received from friends, family, and even strangers. A fundraising campaign in Mabli’s memory has already raised over £14,000 for the charity 2 Wish, which supports families affected by the sudden death of a child. The family plans to continue raising money in honour of their daughter.

“Mabli was the happiest baby I have ever known,” said her mother, Gwen. “She was so loved, and all she knew was love. She will always be a part of our lives, every single day.”

Original story by WalesOnline.

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

on

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Continue Reading

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

on

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.

Continue Reading

Community

Trefin to host VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations

Published

on

TREFIN and surrounding communities will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a full day of commemorative events on Thursday, May 8—culminating in the lighting of a coastal beacon.

The local programme closely mirrors events happening across the UK to honour Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945.

The day will begin at 9:00am in the centre of Trefin with the reading of the VE Day 80 Proclamation, Together We Stand, followed by the raising of a special VE Day 80 flag to unite the nation in remembrance of those who sacrificed so much during the war.

At 12 noon, in Trefin Square, piper LCpl Spencer of Cawdor Barracks will perform Celebratum, a tune specially composed for the occasion.

At 6:30pm, Llanrhian Church bell will ring out in unison with churches and cathedrals across the UK. Simultaneously in Trefin Square, the “Lamp Light of Peace” will be blessed, and a handbell performance by local adults and children will take place. Participants are encouraged to wear wartime-style clothing, with prizes awarded for the best costumes.

Evening celebrations will then move to The Ship Inn, where a fish and chip supper will be served (advance booking and payment required). A display of wartime memorabilia will also be available to view.

At around 8:00pm, the community will proceed from The Ship Inn to Penlac field, overlooking the coast, for the continuation of the festivities. Attendees will be invited to sample the official Women’s Institute VE Day 80 Orange and Ginger Cake. Warm clothing is recommended.

There will be music from the wartime era, and local choir Côr y Felin will lead a singalong of well-known songs from the period. Representatives from each decade since the end of the war will read the VE Day 80 Global Tribute, joining communities across the world. A minute’s silence will be held in memory of those who did not return home, followed by a bugler performing the Last Post and Reveille. The piper will then play Flowers of the Forest.

Just before the lighting of the beacon at 9:30pm, the community will join nearly 1,000 choirs across the UK in singing I Vow to Thee, My Country. The coastal beacon is part of the official chain being lit across the country and worldwide (in respective time zones). The “Lamplight of Peace” will also be lit in solidarity with lanterns around the globe.

Those wishing to continue the celebrations can return to The Ship Inn afterwards.

Organisers are encouraging all attendees to dress in wartime-themed attire throughout the day, with a prize for the best-dressed individual.

The events are being coordinated by the Gwelliant Trefin Improvement Group (GTI) and Llanrhian Connected Community. All are welcome.

Continue Reading

Community9 hours ago

Trefin to host VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations

TREFIN and surrounding communities will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a full day of commemorative events on...

Community10 hours ago

Paul Davies joins growing backlash over £40m Newgale road scheme

Senedd Member backs STUN’s £500k alternative to protect coast without harming village SENEDD Member Paul Davies has joined growing opposition...

News12 hours ago

Joint exercise rolls into back-to-back shouts for Fishguard RNLI volunteers

A ROUTINE training night for volunteers quickly took a turn which saw them participate in two service launches before going...

Entertainment1 day ago

Biggest feature film shot entirely in Wales released today

HAVOC, the biggest feature film ever shot entirely in Wales, premieres today (Friday, April 25) on Netflix. Backed by Welsh...

News1 day ago

Social care crisis reveals urgent need for funding reform

INCREASING demand, flatlining budgets, and systemic neglect are pushing adult social care to the brink—especially in rural areas like Pembrokeshire....

Crime2 days ago

Paddleboarding boss jailed for ten years after deaths of four in river tragedy

Judge condemns ‘flagrant disregard’ for safety as four families left devastated by tour leader’s fatal failings THE OWNER of a...

Crime3 days ago

Drugs, deaths and drones: Damning report highlights crisis at Parc Prison

NEARLY 900 DRUG FINDS, 17 DEATHS IN A YEAR, AND INMATES LOCKED UP FOR 21 HOURS A DAY A DAMNING...

News3 days ago

Dŵr Cymru loses 251 million litres each day due to leaks

Welsh Lib Dems slam water firms as millions of litres leaked daily WELSH Liberal Democrats have criticised Dŵr Cymru and...

News4 days ago

Search continues for missing sailor in Irish Sea

THE SEARCH for a man who went overboard from a UK-registered yacht in the Irish Sea entered its third day...

News5 days ago

Pope Francis Dies at 88: Tributes pour in for a Pontiff of compassion and reform​

REQUIEM MASSES TO BE HELD ACROSS WALES POPE FRANCIS, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and...

Popular This Week