News

Spectacular display: Northern Lights could be visible across Wales tonight

Published

5 months ago

September 1, 2025

Met Office says rare solar storm may bring aurora as far south as Pembrokeshire

ONE of nature’s most mesmerising phenomena — the Northern Lights — could light up skies over much of the UK tonight (Sunday, Sept 1) and into the early hours of Monday, with Wales among the areas in line for a possible glimpse.

The Met Office has issued a rare aurora alert following the eruption of a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) on August 30, which is now expected to reach Earth late this evening or early tomorrow (Sept 2). If it arrives with the predicted intensity, it could trigger a vivid display of the aurora borealis, potentially visible as far south as East Anglia, the Midlands, and parts of Wales — including Pembrokeshire, depending on local cloud cover.

Best chance in dark skies

While Scotland and the north of England remain the most likely areas to catch the aurora, the Met Office says people across Wales stand a fair chance — provided skies are clear and free from light pollution.

Krista Hammond, from the Met Office’s Space Weather Operations Centre, explained: “We’re heading into the active phase of the solar cycle, meaning more frequent solar flares and storms. As a result, the chances of seeing the Northern Lights across the UK are on the rise.”

She added: “The aurora may appear faint to the naked eye, but modern phone cameras can often pick up more colour and detail than you can see unaided — so don’t forget to try snapping a long-exposure shot if you’re heading out.”

What causes the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, are caused by solar storms on the Sun’s surface. These storms release vast clouds of electrically charged particles, which travel millions of miles through space. When some of these particles reach Earth, they are drawn toward the poles by the planet’s magnetic field.

As they interact with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, they release energy — creating dancing patterns of green, pink, and violet light across the night sky.

According to Royal Observatory astronomer Tom Kerss, “These particles slam into atoms in our atmosphere and essentially heat them up. This physical process is called excitation — it’s similar to heating gas until it glows.”

Where and when to look

The best time to catch a glimpse is late tonight (Sept 1) and into the early hours of tomorrow. Avoid areas with streetlights or urban glow — head for the countryside if possible, and look northward. Coastal locations in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion may offer clearer sightlines over the sea, with minimal light pollution.

However, the Met Office warns that visibility could be affected by the waxing gibbous Moon, which is currently around 70% illuminated.

Why this is happening more often

The Sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity, and we are now climbing towards the “solar maximum” — the peak of the current cycle, expected around 2025. During this phase, increased sunspots and solar flares make events like tonight’s aurora more likely.

The last solar minimum occurred in December 2019, meaning activity has been steadily building ever since.

As Ms Hammond explained: “We can expect more space weather events in the coming years — and more opportunities to see the aurora here in the UK.”

Tips for aurora photography

If you’re hoping to photograph the Northern Lights:

Use a tripod or rest your phone on a stable surface
Switch to night mode or use manual settings if available
Set a long exposure time (5–15 seconds) and increase ISO sensitivity
Face north and take multiple shots

If you’re lucky, tonight could offer one of the most memorable sky shows of the year.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

11 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

12 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

18 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.