News

Welsh football fever arrives in Tenby and Carmarthen as giant Cymru shirt rolls into town

Published

3 weeks ago

June 23, 2025

TENBY and CARMARTHEN welcomed a unique celebration of Welsh women’s football this week, as the Ein Crys Cymru tour brought a giant inflatable national team shirt to town in the build-up to the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament.

The giant red jersey—bearing the names of Wales’ Euro squad—was on display in Tenby Harbour on Sunday (June 22), attracting crowds throughout the day. Locals and tourists alike took the chance to pose for photos, record good luck messages, and get involved in football-themed activities for all ages.

The event, organised by the Football Association of Wales, is part of a nationwide tour celebrating Cymru’s historic qualification for this summer’s Euros in Switzerland. For many fans in Pembrokeshire, it was a rare opportunity to take part in a national football campaign close to home.

On Monday (June 23), the tour continued to Guildhall Square in Carmarthen, where Dyfed-Powys Police officers (PCSOs 8011 and 8134) were on hand to support the team’s message of unity and pride. Schools, youth clubs and families came together under the sun to show support for the players heading to the tournament next month.

Tour celebrates progress and pride

The Ein Crys Cymru tour began on June 19 beneath Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and is visiting 12 locations across Wales in the run-up to the squad’s opening match against the Netherlands on July 5. The shirt not only honours the current players, but also represents a turning point—just a few years ago, the women’s team played in ill-fitting men’s kits, without their names.

Now, they travel to Switzerland with national backing, bespoke kits, and growing recognition.

FAW officials say the tour is designed to “inspire a nation” and build support from the grassroots level up. Children in Tenby and Carmarthen were given free Euro 2025 wall planners, while local girls’ football teams joined in mini games and drills.

Where to see it next

The shirt is on display in Swansea today (June 24), with further stops planned across the country, including:

June 25 – Caernarfon
June 26 – Llandudno
June 27 – Wrexham
June 29 – Merthyr Tydfil
July 1 – Newport
July 5 – Cardiff Castle (finale)

Support continues to grow

With the Euros just around the corner, support for the Cymru squad is building across Wales. The Ein Crys Cymru tour is making sure no corner of the country is left out—and Pembrokeshire was proud to play its part.

For more information or to follow the shirt’s journey, visit: www.faw.cymru

Community

Milford Haven paddling pool open daily at 10:00am — safety reminder issued

Published

4 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Town council urges parents to supervise children at all times

MILFORD HAVEN TOWN COUNCIL has reminded visitors to the children’s paddling pool on The Rath that the facility opens daily at 10:00am, and that children must be supervised by a responsible adult.

In a bilingual safety poster shared online, the council set out simple but essential rules to help ensure the pool remains a safe and fun space throughout the summer holidays. While the pool is popular with families, the council warns that it is not officially supervised, and users do so at their own risk.

The key rules include:

Children must be accompanied by an adult.
No running or diving in or around the pool.
No food, drink, or glass bottles in the water area.
No dogs are allowed within the paddling pool zone.
Littering is strictly prohibited.

A council spokesperson said: “Hi everyone, a polite request: we ask that all children be supervised by a responsible adult while using the pool. Thank you.”

There is no formal age limit for the pool, but younger children will be given priority, especially during busy times.

Local families have praised the pool since it reopened, with one visitor, Linda Phillips, commenting: “We’ve just spent two hours there. Great effort everyone! The youngsters are really enjoying it.”

Milford Haven Town Council thanked her for the feedback, calling it “lovely to hear.”

Opening times or access arrangements may change due to weather or maintenance — updates will be posted on the council’s official Facebook page.

Caption:

Splash safely: Milford Haven Town Council’s new bilingual poster reminds families to supervise children and follow the rules while enjoying the paddling pool on The Rath this summer (Pic: Herald).

News

Stricken boat rescued off Ramsey Island after gearbox failure

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Off-duty RNLI crew member steps in to assist with tow to safety

ST DAVIDS RNLI all-weather lifeboat launched at 6:20pm on Wednesday (July 9) to assist a 28-foot motorboat that had suffered drive shaft failure near Ramsey Island.

The vessel, which had departed from Porthclais harbour with two people on board, was left without propulsion due to gearbox issues and was drifting dangerously close to cliffs.

The call for assistance was received at 6:09pm, and the lifeboat was launched just over 10 minutes later. Calm sea conditions allowed the volunteer crew to reach the scene swiftly. A local recreational boat from Voyages of Discovery had been standing by the stricken vessel until the lifeboat arrived.

Given the boat’s proximity to the cliffs and inability to manoeuvre, the coxswain made the decision to tow it back to Porthclais. However, the harbour is inaccessible to the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat.

Fortunately, off-duty crew member Robin was nearby on his own vessel and was able to take over the tow and bring the motorboat safely into the harbour.

The lifeboat and crew returned to station by 7:40pm.

Crime

Motorist sentenced over crash that left biker with life-changing injuries

Published

10 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who caused life-changing injuries to a motorcyclist in a serious crash at Merlin’s Bridge has been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.

JAMES IAN PUTTOCK appeared before the court on Wednesday (July 2), where he pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving, contrary to section 2C of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The collision occurred on December 20, 2022, at Merlin’s Bridge, near Haverfordwest, and involved a red Suzuki Splash driven by Puttock and a motorcyclist.

The rider suffered what police described at the time as “life-changing injuries” and was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. The road was closed for several hours while crash investigators examined the scene.

Puttock had originally been due to stand trial, as previously reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald in January 2024. However, he entered a guilty plea ahead of trial.

At sentencing, the court imposed the following:

20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months
10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days
12-month driving disqualification

The Herald understands the crash had a profound impact on the injured rider and their family, who are still dealing with the long-term consequences of the incident.