A NEW public art trail is turning heads in North Pembrokeshire as sculptures, kinetic installations, and augmented reality artworks transform the coastal towns of Fishguard and Goodwick.

The initiative, called Art Afoot, links the twin towns through a trio of scenic walking routes, using existing paths such as the Goodwick Moor boardwalk, the Marine Walk overlooking Fishguard Harbour and Lower Town, and a community orchard route.

All trails are free, family-friendly and open daily, encouraging locals and visitors alike to explore the area’s rich natural beauty and cultural heritage in an interactive way.

Each of the artworks—many of which were inspired by drawings and ideas gathered through community engagement sessions—tells a story about the area’s unique biodiversity, wildlife, and local history. Highlights include a dramatic steel seahorse sculpture, a kinetic shoal of fish that moves in the wind, and a finely detailed dragonfly installation located within the wetlands.

One of the more playful features is a cut-out board showing traditional Welsh costume, allowing walkers to pose for photos as part of the living artwork. QR codes placed along the trails unlock augmented reality experiences via smartphone, adding another layer of interaction to the journey.

The trail map, which includes both new and existing works—such as the well-known Last Invasion Tapestry displayed at Fishguard Library—is available online and in print from local venues.

Organisers say Art Afoot offers not only a creative boost to the area but also a new way to appreciate Pembrokeshire’s coastal paths and community spaces.

THREE cows had a lucky escape on Monday morning (May 12) after the livestock trailer they were travelling in overturned on the M4 near Pont Abraham.

The incident took place at around 10:38am on the westbound carriageway and involved a pick-up truck towing a livestock box, which flipped onto its side.

Crews from Ammanford and Llanelli fire stations were called to the scene and worked to make the area safe. The animals were successfully transferred into a replacement trailer that was brought in to recover them.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the cows were unharmed in the incident. The fire crews left the scene at 11:27am.

The overturned trailer caused temporary disruption to traffic while the road was cleared.

Photo caption:

Lucky escape: Fire crews attended the overturned livestock trailer near Pont Abraham on Monday morning (Pic: MWWFRS)

Breakthrough in UK’s longest miscarriage of justice highlights power of new forensic science

A MAN jailed for a brutal murder 38 years ago has today walked free from court after the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction—offering renewed hope to others claiming wrongful imprisonment, including Pembrokeshire’s most notorious inmate, John Cooper.

Peter Sullivan, now 68, was convicted in 1987 of the rape and murder of 21-year-old barmaid Diane Sindall, who was attacked while walking home from work in Birkenhead. Despite maintaining his innocence throughout, Sullivan spent nearly four decades behind bars—until new forensic testing revealed DNA from an unknown man on preserved crime scene samples.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) referred the case back to the Court of Appeal last year, and today (May 13), judges ruled that the fresh evidence completely undermined the original conviction.

Sullivan’s case is now believed to be the longest-known miscarriage of justice involving a living prisoner in British legal history.

The ruling highlights the growing role that advances in DNA science are playing in overturning unsafe convictions. It also raises serious questions about other historic cases—including that of John Cooper, who is currently serving a whole-life sentence for the 1985 murders of Richard and Helen Thomas in Scoveston Park and the 1989 killings of Gwenda and Peter Dixon near Little Haven.

Cooper’s 2011 conviction relied heavily on DNA and forensic evidence—particularly fibres and trace DNA allegedly linking him to the crime scenes years after the murders occurred. Advances in forensic science were hailed at the time for cracking the cold cases, but serious questions have since been raised about the handling and interpretation of that evidence. Critics argue that crucial items were poorly stored, contaminated, or even cross-referenced between unrelated cases, with incomplete exhibit logs and inconsistencies in how samples were managed. There are also concerns that some forensic results were presented to the jury with greater certainty than the underlying science could justify, potentially prejudicing the verdict.

Cooper’s legal team submitted a detailed appeal dossier to the CCRC in 2023.

The case is now under formal review.

Concerns raised include missing or contaminated forensic samples, questionable police procedures, and the alleged mixing of evidence from unrelated cases.

One of the team supporting cooper in his fight to get his name cleared said: “If there was nothing in it, the case would have been rejected already.”

He added that the Peter Sullivan ruling shows how persistent investigation and modern science can uncover serious flaws in past prosecutions.

While Cooper remains behind bars, the momentum from today’s decision may shift public and legal focus back to the unresolved questions surrounding his case.