GAM OF THRONES star Jerome Flynn has called for the controversial DARC ‘space radar’ scheme at Pembrokeshire’s Cawdor Barracks to be halted.

In an application recently submitted to Pembrokeshire county Council following a public consultation, the Ministry of Defence wants to install 27 radar antenna and a long list of associated works at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy for a worldwide network of sensors called the Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) to track active satellites and other objects which would utilise three sites worldwide, part of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, in the USA, the UK and Australia “enabling 360-degree coverage of the sky at all times of day and under any weather conditions”.

In late 2023, Cawdor Barracks was identified as the preferred UK site by the-then UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps.

A supporting statement says of the DARC scheme: “This capability is critical to protect and defend the services provided by satellites, ensuring continuity and resilience against collisions or debris-related incidents.

“Without DARC, the UK faces a significant risk of losing access to these vital services, which would have severe consequences for national security, economic stability, and public safety.”

It says the scheme would create 90 full time equivalent construction jobs, and, when operational, will result in the creation of 60 full time equivalent jobs including operation, maintenance and security staff.

St Davids City Council members recently unanimously opposed the pre-application consultation proposals, and public objectors have raised concerns with protests recently taking place outside the barracks and County Hall, Haverfordwest, and Labour Senedd candidate Eluned Morgan has called for the scheme to be put on hold while Donald Trump is President of the USA.

Pembrokeshire-based Jerome Flynn, who was first famous for his roles in Soldier Soldier, Robson & Jerome and more recently Game Of Thrones has entered the fray surrounding the controversial DARC Radar via a social media video.

In the video Flynn describes voting in the upcoming Senedd election as; “probably the most crucial vote we’ve made in 25 years”, saying that whoever gets into the Senedd will have the power to block DARC Radar, referring to the project as “the most unspeakably abominable planning application led by the US military, backed by Donald Trump to place 27 radar dishes right on the edge of our beloved coastal national park”.

Campaigners against the scheme, PARC Against DARC said: “Whichever party or parties form the next Senedd administration following Thursday’s election will have at their disposal a mechanism known as ‘Calling in’ the planning application.”

Any ‘calling in’ could mean the final decision on the DARC scheme is made by Welsh Government.

Campaigners have previously warned that if built, DARC radar would make Pembrokeshire a first priority military target and would give Trump and the US the capability to dominate space from Wales.

“With a Chinese government-aligned source calling DARC a ‘significant escalation’, the US in yet another illegal war this time in Iran, and DARC confirmed by the US as the ground radar part of a weapons system designed to target space assets, there’s little sign DARC would be for anything else but fuelling decades of US aggression that Wales should have no part of.

“This time they’re trying to use our peninsula to weaponise space, as if Earth isn’t already weaponised enough.”

The DARC application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Growing reliance on artificial intelligence tools could lead to costly mistakes, with professionals warning that key tax changes, personal circumstances and market risks may be overlooked without expert guidance

PEOPLE across Wales are being warned not to rely solely on artificial intelligence platforms for financial advice.

Accountancy and advisory firm Azets, which has offices in Cardiff, Swansea and St Asaph, says AI can be a useful starting point for gathering information, but should not replace professional advice when money, tax or investments are involved.

The firm has compared using AI for financial planning to searching health symptoms online instead of seeing a doctor.

AI can miss recent tax changes

The warning comes as rising taxes and a flatlining economy leave more investors looking for efficient ways to manage their money.

Alex Bolton, from Azets Wealth Management, said: “With the tax changes coming into effect from April, it’s natural that more people are seeking information and trying to understand their options.

“Technology, including artificial intelligence, can be a helpful starting point for gathering and summarising information, and it’s a tool we use internally in that context.

“However, AI should never be relied on in isolation. When researching financial matters it’s essential to check sources carefully and ensure information is accurate and up to date.”

Mr Bolton said the quality of AI responses depended heavily on how specific the questions were, adding that some platforms may not fully reflect recent UK tax changes.

He said AI could also confuse accounting standards, such as IFRS and UK GAAP, and may carry bias in the way investment ideas are presented.

Risk of over-confidence

The firm also warned that social media influencers discussing money and investments could lead people to place too much confidence in AI-generated information.

Mr Bolton added: “Some of the most important financial planning details are not publicly available online.

“In-depth financial planning reports, which consider an individual’s full circumstances, cannot be assessed or replaced by AI alone.”

Lewis Aldridge, a partner at Azets, said: “While AI gives a good steer and can be useful for forecasting there are real issues.

“It can be like using the internet for diagnosing health issues. It might be correct but there is a chance it’ll be wrong – especially if it isn’t carefully used.

“In due course the technology might be more reliable but at present we advise caution and that when it comes to money people should always take advice from a reputable financial professional.”

Azets is a UK top ten accountancy and advisory firm, with offices across Wales and the wider UK.

Five-year project beneath Pembroke Castle could transform understanding of prehistoric Britain

A MAJOR new archaeological project has been launched at Wogan’s Cave beneath Pembroke Castle after experts revealed the site may hold one of the most important prehistoric records in Britain.

The hidden cavern, tucked beneath the northern side of the medieval fortress, is now at the centre of a five-year exploration which archaeologists believe could rewrite part of the story of ancient Britain.

At the heart of the excitement is the discovery of hippopotamus bones dating back around 120,000 years — a striking sign that animals now linked with far warmer climates once lived in what is now west Wales.

Researchers say the cave has also produced remains of mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, reindeer and wild horse, along with evidence of repeated human occupation stretching back more than 100,000 years.

The new project will be led by the University of Aberdeen, with support from Pembroke Castle Trust, after fresh funding was secured for a detailed programme of excavation and analysis.

Lost world beneath the castle

For many years, Wogan’s Cave was thought to have been largely emptied by Victorian excavations, leading archaeologists to believe that little of major significance remained.

That assumption has now been turned on its head.

More recent work has shown that large areas of sediment survived intact, preserving a valuable archive of prehistoric life, changing climates and early human activity. Experts now believe the cave may contain evidence spanning several different periods of occupation, making it one of the most important sites of its kind in Britain.

The finds point to a landscape dramatically different from the Pembrokeshire seen today, with warmer periods supporting animals such as hippos and colder phases bringing species including reindeer and woolly rhinoceros.

Experts are particularly excited by signs that the cave may hold extremely rare evidence of early Homo sapiens in Britain, alongside traces of even earlier human occupation, probably by Neanderthals.

Scientific techniques

The five-year investigation is expected to use advanced scientific methods including high-precision dating and DNA analysis from bones and cave sediments.

Archaeologists hope this will help answer major questions about how prehistoric humans lived, how they responded to huge swings in climate, and how different groups may have used the cave over tens of thousands of years.

The project also promises to shine a new light on Pembroke Castle itself, which is already internationally famous as the birthplace of Henry Tudor.

Until now, the castle’s story has largely centred on its medieval significance. But the latest discoveries suggest the headland on which it stands was important to humans and animals for many thousands of years before the first stone walls were ever raised.

National importance

Castle staff have welcomed the new phase of work, saying the discoveries add an extraordinary new chapter to Pembroke’s already rich history.

There is also strong local importance, with finds from the cave expected to be curated and kept in Pembroke.

Wogan’s Cave has long fascinated visitors, but the latest announcement is likely to push it firmly into the national spotlight.

What was once seen as a largely exhausted chamber beneath a famous castle is now emerging as a prehistoric time capsule — one with the potential to reshape understanding of ancient Britain.

If the full promise of the site is realised, Pembroke may become known not only for its medieval past, but for preserving one of the deepest and richest records of prehistoric life yet discovered anywhere in these islands.