News
Haverfordwest: Properties damaged by mini tornado


Making safe: Fire crews in Haverfordwest on Tuesday evening
A MINI TORNADO damaged up to twenty properties in Scotchwell View and Coronation Avenue in Haverfordwest on Tuesday night (Jan 13).
Emergency services responded in the early evening to reports of damage to rooves. A garden shed had been ripped from its foundations, and landed in the middle of the street, neighbours said.
Local resident, Gwyl Booth, spoke to the Herald by telephone. He said: “There are about twenty fire fighters here, and there is an ambulance on standby. I don’t think that anyone has been hurt, but there has been a lot of damage to sheds, and roofs and that kind of thing. My son has been taking photos which we are going to try to download and send into the paper in a little while.”
He added: “The roads were blocked off for quite a while. I didn’t know the fire brigade had so many vehicles!”

Severe weather: Rooves were badly damaged
Mr Booth said: “There were two ambulances on standby, and other emergency vehicles. Fire men had to go up in their cherry picker lifts in the hail and rain to secure people’s rooves. One crew told me that it was a mini-tornado. My boy struggled to shut the front door with the wind but it was all over in minutes.”
Resident Emma Griffiths said: “My Mum and Dad’s house and also my sister’s house were hit by this mini-tornado, it was horrible. The roof of the shed at my Mum’s was completely ripped off and a lot of damage was caused to the roof [of the house].”
She added: “I would just like to say a massive thank you to all the fire crews that attended, they were fantastic and very reassuring. Also thank to the paramedic crew who saw to my dad and brought him to Withybush to get checked over as he had suffered severe shock. I’m just very thankful that nobody was hurt last night.”
The fire and rescue service tweeted: “Thank you so much Haverfordwest McDonalds for their kind generosity, providing us with free hot drinks. Much appreciated.”
Pembrokeshire is not the only region where there has also been a mini-tornado today. A suspected tornado damaged cars and homes when it struck London in “a scene from the Wizard of Oz”.
Firefighters said a garage collapsed and roof tiles were blown off houses as Britain was braced for another storm gathering pace across the Atlantic. The “severe” weather struck in Harrow, north west London, on Tuesday afternoon. Crews were called at just before 1.15pm when the garage, which was attached to a house, collapsed. London Fire Brigade said cars in nearby roads also suffered minor damage, but no one was hurt.
The video below of Scotchwell View was sent to The Herald by Baines Dazer.
Community
Choir joins Welsh Guards Band for memorable concert

PEMBROKE and District Male Voice Choir shared the stage with the renowned Band of the Welsh Guards during the band’s tour of Wales, delivering a stirring performance at Harri Tudur School hall.
A capacity audience enjoyed the collaboration, with the choir and band uniting for powerful renditions of Welsh classics Cwm Rhondda and Gwaddoloddiad. The Band of the Welsh Guards also performed a medley of traditional Welsh folk tunes and music from the acclaimed film Wicked.
Choir MC Matthew John introduced the evening in his distinctive style, while the choir’s set—featuring newly added pieces Let A New Day Dawn and Tell My Father—was selected by Musical Director Juliet Rossiter. Accompanist William Lambert, a recent addition to the choir, provided support on the keyboard.
The event was co-ordinated by Councillor Aden Brinn, with distinguished guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Sharon Lusher, Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Councillor Steve Alderman, Mayor of Pembroke Councillor Ann Mortesen, Senedd Member Sam Kurtz, and mayors from neighbouring communities.
Proceeds from the evening were donated to the Welsh Guards Charity. A special guest was David Silcox of Haven Self Storage, whose company has sponsored an impressive banner to promote choir concerts.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of the choir’s senior member, Frank Harries, who recently passed away at the age of 95.
The following evening, the choir performed again at Monkton Priory Church, raising funds for the RNLI in another well-attended concert.
Community
Castle Ward Councillors Meet at Waldo Lounge to Discuss Residents’ Concerns

ON MONDAY (Mar 11), County Councillor Thomas Baden Tudor, alongside Councillors Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner and Dani Thomas-Turner from Haverfordwest Town Council, held a joint meeting at the Waldo Lounge.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the councillors to address issues raised by Castle Ward residents and discuss matters of local concern. Councillors were joined by representatives from Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and Haverfordwest, Fishguard, and St Davids Police, who provided valuable updates on their current and future plans.
Councillor Tudor expressed his gratitude to the services for their insightful contributions, which highlighted ongoing efforts and future projects aimed at improving public services in the area.
Education
Children learn how delicious potatoes are produced locally in Pembrokeshire

SCHOOL children from across Pembrokeshire, aged from five to 16, learnt how the food produced locally is delicious and nutritious during a highly successful ‘Food Story / Stori Bwyd’ event, held by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.
During the event potato, dairy, sheep and poultry farmers from all over the county volunteered their time to talk to the children and give hands-on demonstrations. They explained to the children how they produce potatoes, dairy products, eggs and meat. They also demonstrated how they farm sustainably, look after local wildlife and how they care for the countryside.
The event was held on the Pembrokeshire County Showground and the focus was on potato growing, production and supply. The children also got the opportunity to taste locally produced jacket potatoes with a variety of toppings cooked perfectly and served by staff from Castell Howell.
Kathy Wilson, a former teacher and now an Honorary Pembrokeshire Show Governor, organised the event on behalf of the Society’s Food Story / Stori Bwyd. She said, “I would like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of the volunteers and who took two days out from their busy work on the farm to come and talk to the children and demonstrate how they produce food and drink. A big thanks also to the local providers who contributed to the event. The smiles on the faces of the children said it all, they listened intently, enthusiastically took part in the demonstrations and the teachers took resources back with them to their schools to continue the learning.
“One of the important elements of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s work is educational and spreading the word around the county about how local food is produced by farmers. Everyone enjoyed eating the jacket potatoes after they had learnt how hard the farmers work to produce them.”
As well as food production, the event was an opportunity to teach the children about the seasonality of what farmers produce locally and how the weather and climate affects the work farmers do as well as the different food groups and healthy eating.
Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s President was one of the farmers who volunteered their time to talk to school children at the event. He said, “The Society would like to thank Kathy Wilson and Jo in the show office for all the hours they have put in to organise this magnificent event. To see how much the children enjoyed learning how their food is produced through hands-on demonstrations is heart warming.”
Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society would like to thank NFU Mutual Pembrokeshire, the CLA Charitable Trust and Women in Wales, for their financial support. Thanks also to the Camrose Vintage Working Day for their support as well as the NFU, Wales Farm Safety and Puffin Produce for providing educational resources and buckets for the schools and pupils.
Food Story volunteers will be at the County Show on 20 and 21 August 2025 with an interactive display and demonstrations for children to have fun and take part in to learn where their food comes from.
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Emma Griffiths
January 14, 2015 at 8:43 am
my mum and dads house and my sisters house was hit by this mini tornado last night, it was horrible, the roof of the shed at my mums was completely ripped off and a lot of damage was caused to the roof.
I would just like to say a massive thank you to all the fire crews that attended last night they were fantastic and very reassuring. Also thank to the paramedic crew who saw to my dad and brought him to withy bush to get checked over as he had suffered severe shock.
I’m just very thankful that nobody was hurt last night.