News

Haverfordwest town centre: Coastguard assists in the recovery of body

Published

11 years ago

December 5, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Tragic scene: Police and HM Coastguard rescuers at the disused shop in Haverfordwest

A CONTRACTOR working for the Select retail chain discovered a deceased male at the rear of shops in Haverfordwest, The Pembrokeshire Herald understands. Emergency services were called at 12.45pm to an address in bridge street on Friday (Dec 5).

A witness told The Herald: “I saw a man screaming and crying in Bridge Street. He was on the phone to 999 saying that he had just discovered the body of a man.”

The main shopping street was temporarily closed to pedestrians whilst rescuers including coast guard teams assisted in recovering the body from an inaccessible area to the rear of the buildings.

After 2 hours of effort, the deceased male was brought through the empty unit – which used to be Thorntons Chocolate – by Roy Folland Funeral Services and into a waiting private ambulance. A dozen coastguard rescuers formed a line to give the deceased dignity as the body was removed from the building. Around thirty members of the public looked on, shopping bags in hand, as the operation unfolded.

Recovery operation: Bridge Street, Haverfordwest

The manager of a nearby shop told The Herald : “There has been a lot of emergency services activity this afternoon earlier the whole of the street was filled with emergency vehicles, including two fire engines.”

A member of staff at Dorothy Perkins said she was unable to speak to the press, but said the shop was closed whilst the recovery of the body was taking place.

A police spokesman told The Herald: “Dyfed-Powys Police is investigating the sudden death of a man, whose body was found at a property in Bridge Street, Haverfordwest at approximately 12.45pm this afternoon.

“Enquiries are ongoing, but there aren’t believed to be suspicious circumstances. The body has not been identified at this stage.”

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22 Comments

Judi Massa

December 5, 2014 at 5:50 pm

Our coastguards are our unsung fifth emergency service without whom we could not survive on our coastlines and the danger sometimes encountered. Bearing in mind they put their necks frequently on the line voluntarily they are unsung heroes – each and every one. Respect.
Z

December 5, 2014 at 9:18 pm

There is someone on social media claiming to know his name. I’m not going believe it, though this is indeed a serious matter and I have a gut feeling it is indeed him. My thoughts are with the people affected at this time.
doc

December 5, 2014 at 9:39 pm

i know victim very well, dont care wat cops say some of us know truth,
lisa roberts

December 5, 2014 at 11:15 pm

The person fount was my brother in law eddie davies aka scotish eddie he will ne truley missed
lisa roberts

December 6, 2014 at 12:50 am

This is a message for doc from waynes family what do u mean we all know the truth do uno something we dont and if so u best say.
Z

December 6, 2014 at 6:18 am

Then my feelings were right. I used to pass by him in town every now and again, would smile every time and talk a little to him.

I started to worry when two lads popped around home and expressed their concern for him days ago. This is quite saddening and I’ll miss him.
Z

December 6, 2014 at 8:26 am

And they said he had legal highs on him, which was even more worrying. I hope the police can track down potential drug suppliers in the community and resolve the matter.
kylie

December 6, 2014 at 3:48 pm

omg!!!!!!!!!!!!
cant believe it! legal highs are dangerous they are worse than street drugs!!!! the only way you will get these legal highs stopped is by getting petitions set up and have what ever shop it is selling them made to stop other wise there is nothing we can do!!! i know about this as we have a major struggle with it in somerset. another good man gone and for what shit that the goverment allow to be sold if any one is to blame its them along with all the other shit they allow….. so heres how to go get a petition and make several copies and leave them in shops and public places asking for the support from the public and when u reach enough signatures send off to the goverment and get the local mp involved too!!!!!!
l

December 6, 2014 at 3:53 pm

5f-pb-22 was found in a friend of mines blood after he committed suicide.its a synthetic cannabinoid.it was a shock when he committed suicide as his baby was due that week and his birthday was next day.i am keen to campaign on shutting down these legal high chains and making legal highs illegal if anyone is anyone interested in campaigning with me?
lydia

December 6, 2014 at 3:57 pm

how do I get petition set up kylie?
lisa roberts

December 6, 2014 at 8:00 pm

Listen here every fker eddie was my brother in law he did not commit suisude he feel no one knws what happens so shut the fk up
MATT WHELTON

December 7, 2014 at 12:24 am

RIP EDDIE MAN GONA MISS YU MATETHOUGHTS WITH DAVIES FAMLY XX
required

December 8, 2014 at 3:50 pm

Lisa, your spelling, your language and punctuation has made us all pretty sure that we know what sort of family we are talking about here – sorry
Amanda Sharp

December 8, 2014 at 8:38 pm

I used to work in one of the shops along Bridge Street, the area at the back is very precarious. In some places it’s practically a rock face and very slippery. It’s awful to hear that somebody has died. I’m sorry for his family’s loss.

I was walking along Bridge Street soon after the discovery of the deceased. The Coastguard Rescue carried out the recovery with great respect.

My condolences to his family and friends affected by this very sad loss.
z

December 9, 2014 at 4:55 pm

He get any legal highs from local suppliers he was banned from the local shop. Also why has everyone forgot what he did to that soilder?
rhian

December 9, 2014 at 5:11 pm

what did he do to a soldier?
Required

December 10, 2014 at 10:25 am

http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/1520481.Second_man_pleads_guilty_in_Kinnon_murder_case/
claire

December 10, 2014 at 11:49 am

little scum. KARMA
Michelle allen

December 10, 2014 at 4:32 pm

KARMA ? Is karma having two people dead. Stop talking like u know what happened and let everyone grieve. Michelle
steve evans

December 11, 2014 at 6:17 pm

This is justice, thank god this gene pool has ended.. Ragi Kinnon will meet him one on one, no drugs, drink and see how brave he is then…Lets hope the fire are very hot down there
ian

December 16, 2014 at 5:30 pm

he was a killer, the ppl saying what a nice man and let us grieve reminds me of those ppl defending the krays – they wuz good to their mum, you could leave your door open around here and no one wuld steal nuffink (cos the krays had already taken it)
Steve

December 17, 2014 at 9:49 am

This guy was an anti-social waste of clean air.
Unsurprising he has to hurt people in death as well as life. My thoughts are with the shop staff, ambulance staff and the poor guy who found him.

Health

Resident doctors in Wales vote to accept new contract

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENT doctors across Wales have voted to accept a new contract, with 83% of those who took part in a referendum backing the agreement, according to BMA Cymru Wales.

The contract includes a four per cent additional investment in the resident doctor workforce and introduces a range of reforms aimed at improving training conditions, wellbeing and long-term workforce sustainability within NHS Wales. The BMA says the deal also supports progress towards pay restoration, which remains a central issue for doctors.

Key changes include new safeguards to limit the most fatiguing working patterns, measures intended to address medical unemployment and career progression concerns, and reforms to study budgets and study leave to improve access to training opportunities.

Negotiations between the BMA’s Welsh Resident Doctors Committee, NHS Wales Employers and the Welsh Government concluded earlier this year. Following a consultation period, a referendum of resident doctors and final-year medical students in Wales was held, resulting in a clear majority in favour of the proposals.

Welsh Resident Doctors Committee chair Dr Oba Babs Osibodu said the agreement marked a significant step forward for doctors working in Wales.

He said: “We’re proud to have negotiated this contract, which offers our colleagues and the future generation of doctors safer terms of service, fairer pay, and better prospects so that they can grow and develop their careers in Wales.

“This contract will help to retain the doctors already in training, and also attract more doctors to work in Wales, where they can offer their expertise and benefit patients.”

Dr Osibodu added that the BMA remains committed to achieving full pay restoration and acknowledged that challenges remain for some doctors.

“Whilst this contract sets the foundations for a brighter future for resident doctors in Wales, we recognise that there are still doctors who are struggling to develop their careers and secure permanent work,” he said. “We need to work with the Welsh Government and NHS employers to address training bottlenecks and underemployment.”

The Welsh Government has previously said it recognises the pressures facing resident doctors and the importance of improving recruitment and retention across NHS Wales, while also highlighting the need to balance pay agreements with wider NHS funding pressures and patient demand.

The new contract is expected to be phased in from August 2026. It will initially apply to doctors in foundation programmes, those in specialty training with unbanded rotas, and new starters, before being rolled out to all resident doctors across Wales.

Crime

Swansea man jailed for online child sex offence dies in prison

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man who was jailed earlier this year for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child has died while in custody.

Gareth Davies, aged 59, of the Maritime Quarter, was serving an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted in May of sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The account was in fact a decoy used as part of an online safeguarding operation.

The court heard that Davies began communicating with the decoy between November and December 2024 and persistently pursued the individual, later attempting to arrange a face-to-face meeting. He was arrested after being confronted by the decoy operators.

Davies had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial. At the time of sentencing, police described the messages as extremely concerning and said his imprisonment was necessary to protect children.

It has now been confirmed that Davies died at HMP Parc on Wednesday (Nov 27) while serving his sentence.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent investigation into the death, which is standard procedure in all cases where someone dies in custody. No cause of death has been released at this stage.

A coroner will determine the circumstances in due course.

Farming

Welsh Conservatives warn climate plans could mean fewer livestock on Welsh farms

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have challenged the Welsh Government over climate change policies they say could lead to reductions in livestock numbers across Wales, raising concerns about the future of Welsh farming.

The row follows the Welsh Government’s decision, alongside Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats, to support the UK Climate Change Committee’s Fourth Carbon Budget, which sets out the pathway towards Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The Carbon Budget, produced by the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC), states that meeting Net Zero targets will require a reduction in agricultural emissions, including changes to land use and, in some scenarios, a reduction in livestock numbers.

During questioning in the Senedd, the Welsh Conservatives pressed the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on whether the Welsh Government supports reducing livestock numbers as part of its climate strategy.

Speaking after the exchange, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, said the Welsh Government could not distance itself from the implications of the policy it had backed.

Mr Kurtz said: “By voting in favour of these climate change regulations, Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats have signed up to the UK Climate Change Committee’s call to cut livestock numbers in Wales, and they cannot dodge that reality.

“The Deputy First Minister’s smoke-and-mirrors answers only confirm what farmers already fear: that Labour, along with their budget bedfellows in Plaid and the Lib Dems, are prepared to sacrifice Welsh agriculture in pursuit of climate targets.”

He added that the issue came at a time of growing pressure on the farming sector, pointing to uncertainty over the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme, the ongoing failure to eradicate bovine TB, nitrogen pollution regulations under the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), and proposed changes to inheritance tax rules affecting family farms.

The Welsh Government has repeatedly said it does not have a target to forcibly reduce livestock numbers and has argued that future emissions reductions will come through a combination of improved farming practices, environmental land management, and changes in land use agreed with farmers.

Ministers have also said the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is due to replace the Basic Payment Scheme, is intended to reward farmers for food production alongside environmental outcomes, rather than remove land from agriculture.

The UK Climate Change Committee, which advises governments across the UK, has stressed that its pathways are based on modelling rather than fixed quotas, and that devolved governments have flexibility in how targets are met.

However, farming unions and rural groups in Wales have warned that policies focused on emissions reduction risk undermining the viability of livestock farming, particularly in upland and marginal areas where alternatives to grazing are limited.

The debate highlights the growing tension between climate targets and food production in Wales, with livestock farming remaining a central part of the rural economy and Welsh cultural identity.

As discussions continue over the final shape of the Sustainable Farming Scheme and Wales’ long-term climate plans, pressure is mounting on the Welsh Government to reassure farmers that climate policy will not come at the expense of the sector’s survival.