News

Milford Haven: Couple narrowly escapes Tunisia resort massacre

Published

9 years ago

June 30, 2015

A RETIRED Milford couple narrowly escaped execution in the Tunisian beach massacre last week. Speaking exclusively with The Herald were Ann and Ken Mansell, who recounted the terrifying ordeal at the private beach of the Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel on the Tunisian Sousse resort, where 38 people were killed on Friday June 26.

Ann explained what happened: “We were on the beach, as we were each day, and at lunchtime we heard what we thought was fireworks, which went on for a few seconds, and then kept going. As I turned, I realised it was someone firing guns, my husband caught me by the hand and we ran along the beach, over rough ground, with bullets flying and whizzing around – you could hear them hitting things and ricocheting.”

Ken continued, saying: “I got up and out of the corner of my eye I saw him shoot. I could see his face – he was 5xsunbeds away – He aimed straight at the first two set of deckchairs. I grabbed my wife’s hand and ran up the beach.”

Asking Ken how long it took to be sure what was going on, he replied: “Seconds.”

Continuing to describe their flight from terror, he said: “We ducked down behind a wall. I looked up and 12 foot away was the gunman changing his magazine. So I grabbed the wife by the hand and said ‘run’ we passed a point below where people had gone and we continued diving over a wall behind some bushes, and with that, he dropped a hand grenade in this well – which we found out later was a spa and changing rooms below. He walked past us firing. He was heading towards the hotel, with shouting and screaming and gunshots. There were more hand grenades, so there had to be more than one of them. We just laid there. Pretending to be dead.”

Asked what they then saw on the beach after the shooting, Ken continued by describing the horrific scene: “From sunbed number one, on the right of the concrete path, they were all dead, all covered over. I got to our sunbed and I could see bodies, loads, covered over. There were empty casings strewn on the beach “

He explained that the nearest body from where they were sitting, was in fact the adjacent sun lounger. He went on to talk about the victims, who were also residents of the hotel in which they were staying.

“One couple used to come down the concrete path from the dining room, going to the left of the beach; on this morning they went to the right, because they were late. We had just seen them.”

He stated the couple had been unaccounted for, thus were the margins for life and death during the horrific massacre.

Finishing, Ken said: “Every time I go to think about something all I think about is this gunmen, spraying the first burst of gunfire, and then I see him changing magazines.”

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

4 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

4 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”