News

Rare starfish protected after shipwreck

Published

10 years ago

December 30, 2015

Sarah-Jane Absalom

CKS

A SPOKESMAN for Natural Resources Wales has praised NRW and other agencies for their handling of a fishing boat which sank near a Special Area of Conservation, threatening an extremely rare starfish. The crabbing boat CKS hit rocks near Sheep Island on October 28. The collision caused a 2-3 metre gash below the port side of the boat, which meant the crew of 5 had to abandon the ship and be taken to shore by Angle Lifeboat.

Over the next few days the owners attempted to salvage the vessel but were unsuccessful. The ship sank off the south point of West Angle beach and was completely submerged at high water. The vessel posed a big risk to shipping so the insurers and The Port of Milford Haven appointed Braemar Howells, a local specialist company, to salvage the wreckage. The sa yl ors had a choice between towing the boat to Pembroke Dock or beaching it at West Angle and dismantling it there. Both these options required refloating the vessel. Because of the deterioration of the ship there was too much risk of losing control in the shipping channel from towing, so the beaching option was chosen.

Whilst this was the better option for salvaging the vessel it posed serious challenges for NRW because of how close a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) was and the potential impact from pollution to the Asterina phylactica, a tiny cushion starfish. It took several days for divers to attach straps and flotation bags; the vessel was raised on Friday 6th and towed into West Angle on the high tide. Robert Phillips, Pembrokeshire Natural Resources Manager, for NRW, said: “Unfortunately, these kinds of accidents can happen from time to time but it’s very important we do what we can to protect the immediate environment when they do.

“This incident was handled very successfully by NRW, we managed to minimise the potential pollution as well as avoid any damage to the SAC. “The starfish colony is one of two in Wales and one of only 6 in the UK so it’s great that our work helped ensure this one was unaffected.” Dismantling began on the morning of November 7. The ship was taken apart in sections that were loaded onto tractors and trailers headed for the waste segregation compound set up in the beach car park. The larger sections of the ship were dragged above the high tide line so that continuous dismantling wasn’t a problem. Thanks to this the vessel was moved from the beach to the compound within 12 hours.

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

5 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced a significant expansion of its Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Teams (NPPT), with more officers being deployed to frontline roles where demand is greatest.

From Monday (Mar 16), teams across the force area have been strengthened, with a renewed focus on tackling antisocial behaviour and preventing crime at its source.

The force says the move is aimed at reducing repeat demand by addressing the root causes of offending, rather than simply responding to incidents.

To achieve this, a number of officers have been redeployed from central departments back into frontline policing, while new posts are also being created to bolster capacity.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Davies, head of uniform policing, said: “These changes are about increasing frontline visibility and ensuring we have the right resources in the right places.

“They form part of a wider programme of improvements across the force to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, while also supporting the wellbeing of our officers and staff.

“This is positive news for our communities, who will benefit from stronger neighbourhood teams focused on local priorities and proactive policing.”

The expansion has been made possible through Home Office funding under the Neighbourhood Guarantee scheme, which is designed to strengthen community safety and crime prevention.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been allocated £1.4 million for 2025/26, enabling the recruitment of police staff and freeing up officers previously in support roles to return to operational duties.

As a result, four sergeants and 29 police officers have now been reassigned to neighbourhood teams across the force.

Each NPPT area will also have a named officer, with full team details available via the ‘Your Area’ section of the Dyfed-Powys Police website.

The force has also secured early access to 2026/27 Neighbourhood Guarantee funding, which will see a further 12 officers recruited between April and the autumn—adding to overall officer numbers in the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Neighbourhood policing is about more than numbers—it’s about relationships.

“Greater visibility helps build trust, strengthens community ties, and reassures the public that policing is present, responsive, and committed to keeping people safe.

“I remain committed to improving police visibility across our communities, and these additional officers will help turn that ambition into reality.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

5 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.