A MOTORBOAT that got into trouble off Newgale beach on Thursday afternoon (Apr 17) was brought safely ashore thanks to the quick response of St Davids RNLI.

The alarm was raised at around 3:40pm when HM Coastguard received reports of a 12-foot motorboat with two people onboard that had capsized off the popular Pembrokeshire beach.

St Davids RNLI launched their inshore lifeboat, the Alan and Marian Clayton, and quickly located the stricken vessel.

After assessing the situation, lifeboat volunteers decided to escort the motorboat to Porthclais Harbour, as it still had power. However, part-way through the journey the vessel ran out of fuel, leaving the crew stranded.

A tow line was set up, and the lifeboat took the boat under tow to ensure the safety of those onboard.

The motorboat was brought ashore safely at Porthclais just before 6:20pm, and the lifeboat returned to station where it was refuelled and made ready for the next callout.

A HAVERFORDWEST man has appeared in court accused of assaulting and strangling a woman on two separate occasions.

Ali Miah, aged 33, of Bush Row, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Apr 16), facing three charges.

The court heard that Miah is accused of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation during an incident in Haverfordwest on April 13. He also faces a further charge of intentional strangulation, alleged to have taken place on November 1, 2023, involving the same woman.

The case was sent to Swansea Crown Court, where Miah is due to appear to enter his pleas on May 16.

He was granted bail.

A PETITION has been launched to save Oriel y Parc, the landscape gallery in St Davids, amid fears that its future as a dedicated fine art space is under threat.

Concerned members of the community and supporters of the arts have rallied against proposals by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA) to repurpose parts of the gallery, which currently houses important artworks including those by the renowned British artist Graham Sutherland.

Campaigners say that the authority’s plan to downgrade the Pembrokeshire Landscape Gallery and convert it into a National Park Discovery Centre represents a significant departure from its original purpose. The gallery was created using £3.3 million in public and EU funding and was designed specifically to showcase the landscape and art of Wales.

The petition, launched on Change.org by the Pembrokeshire Landscape Gallery Working Group, has already attracted 519 verified signatures. It calls on PCNPA to reinstate the full gallery space for continuous exhibitions from the National Collection and maintain the rotating display of Graham Sutherland’s works, a core feature of the gallery since its opening.

Dozens of people have signed the petition in recent hours, with local residents and visitors alike voicing their support. Notable recent signers include Joanna Burke, Anne Crowley, Joanne Miles, Phil Thomas, and Patricia Karen Rathbone.

Campaigners argue that the decline in visitor numbers in recent years is not due to public disinterest in art, but rather to the lack of high-profile exhibitions since 2018. They point to previous successes—such as exhibitions of works by Graham Sutherland and John Constable—that attracted tens of thousands of visitors, boosted the local economy, and enriched the cultural life of the region.

Speaking to BBC Wales Today on March 27, Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of PCNPA, defended the changes, saying:

“The gallery has to change. You know, 15 years – all organisations evolve and develop; their audience tastes develop during that time. I think we would be rightly criticised if we hadn’t evolved and tried to meet the needs of current visitors and current residents.”

While campaigners acknowledge that change is necessary, they say that abandoning the gallery’s artistic mission would be a mistake.

“The building was purpose-built to house art,” the petition states. “Instead of abandoning its original purpose, we urge PCNPA to work with the National Museum of Wales and the wider arts community to restore and reinvigorate Oriel y Parc’s programme.”

The petition also stresses the gallery’s importance to schools, families, artists and tourists, and warns that converting it into a discovery centre would strip St Davids of one of its most valuable cultural assets.

Supporters are calling on the public to sign the petition and urge decision makers to protect the architectural integrity and artistic role of Oriel y Parc for future generations.

To sign the petition or learn more, visit Change.org and search “Save Oriel y Parc”.