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New pilot boat welcomed

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St Brides: The first of three new pilot boats for the Haven

St Brides: The first of three new pilot boats for the Haven

THE FIRST of three 19m pilot boats built by Mainstay Marine has been delivered to the Port of Milford Haven.

St Brides is the first finished boat of a £3.6m contract that is a flagship project for Mainstay Marine Solutions with delivery for the second and third due in April and July respectively. The vessels are an upgraded version of the ‘Picton’ Pilot Boat built by the company in 2006, and will serve the Haven waterway.

The 48 tonne vessels, designed by Camarc Design, are capable of reaching up to 14 knots with 12 persons on board. The craft are designed to be used extensively in heavy weather and are likely to operate in swells of 6m and significant wave height.

The vessels are expected to withstand 1,000 vessel boarding impacts over an average duty cycle of 2,500 hours per year.

Following a public competition, the pilot boats will be named after three significant landmarks within Pembrokeshire – ‘St Brides’, ‘St Govans’ and ‘St Davids’. The Harbourmaster at the Port of Milford Haven, Bill Hirst, said: “The names have great local relevance and we will be proud to put them on the water”.

Chief Executive of the Port of Milford Haven Alec Don said: “This substantial investment will provide the port with three identical modern state-of-the-art boats with full parts interchangeability. These boats, together with our highly skilled and trained crews constitute the backbone of our ability to provide a safe and reliable service to our customers 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The boats have been built to the highest possible standard on time and to budget here in Wales by Mainstay’.”

Stewart Graves, Managing Director of Mainstay Marine, added: “Mainstay has always prided itself on our reputation for quality. The amount of positive feedback on the finish of the Pilot boats has been particularly overwhelming. Continued repeat business for our Pilot Boat building expertise is testament to our finished product. We are grateful for the continued support from the Port.

Keel Marine was commissioned to oversee the build progress and report on key milestones.

“We knew that delivering three pilots boats consecutively would be demanding but our comprehensive skill base, both in design and directly during the build, have been instrumental in keeping to a tight time schedule,’’ Project Engineer, Jon Lewis said.

Mainstay Marine has fulfilled several challenging contracts within the last 12 months, including the launch of a 50 ton wind farm support vessel, a major refit of a multicat and fabrication and assembly of the recently deployed 230 ton Delta Stream device for Tidal Energy Ltd.

A naming ceremony will take place for all three vessels in late July this year.

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Crime

‘Most extensive’ court order issued against paedophile with Pembrokeshire links

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Predator jailed for historic child sex offences as police enforce strict post-release controls

A CONVICTED paedophile who once lived in Pembrokeshire has been jailed and handed the most extensive Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) ever issued in the Dyfed-Powys Police force area.

STEVEN LOVERIDGE, aged 60, was sentenced to six years and seven months at Swansea Crown Court in May after admitting to a string of sexual offences involving young children, some dating back as far as 2007.

The Herald understands that some of Loveridge’s offending took place while he was living in West Wales, including during a period he spent residing in Pembrokeshire. Police have not confirmed specific locations, but the scale and historic nature of the abuse prompted a far-reaching investigation across multiple counties.

Following his conviction, Dyfed-Powys Police applied for an SHPO so extensive it has shocked even seasoned officers. The order contains 20 separate and highly specific prohibitions designed to protect the public both during and after Loveridge’s release from prison.

Lowri, a spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police’s Legal Services team, said: “In most cases, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order will contain two or three tailored conditions. Loveridge’s case was far from typical.

“The final order includes twenty distinct and targeted prohibitions. It reflects the extreme risk he poses to children and the importance of ensuring community safety.”

The SHPO legally binds Loveridge to a set of strict restrictions which will be enforced after his release from prison. These could include limits on internet access, contact with children, travel, and the use of certain technology — although the full details of the order have not been made public.

The force said the measures are part of a wider toolkit to monitor high-risk offenders and prevent reoffending.

Police confirmed that the complexity of the case, combined with the severity of the offences, led to what they have called a “ground-breaking” order, believed to be the most comprehensive ever imposed in the Dyfed-Powys region.

Loveridge will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

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Community

Puffin found 110 miles inland released back into the wild in Pembrokeshire

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Rare rescue sees seabird named Oona nursed back to health after landing in Herefordshire garden

A PUFFIN that somehow found its way more than 100 miles inland has been returned to the sea in Pembrokeshire after being rescued in a Herefordshire garden.

The bird, affectionately named Oona after a children’s book character, was discovered in June in the landlocked county — some 110 miles from the coast — and taken to Vets for Pets in Hereford. At just 218g, around half the normal weight for an adult puffin, she was underweight but otherwise alert.

Wildlife vet David Couper from the RSPCA provided guidance on her initial care, and once stabilised, Oona was transferred to the charity’s specialist West Hatch Wildlife Centre in Somerset. Staff there say puffin patients are extremely rare — only six have been treated at the centre in the past ten years.

Ryan Walker, Wildlife Supervisor at West Hatch, said: “Finding a puffin that far inland is extraordinary. She quickly became a bit of a star here. Our team gave her a good clean-up, helped her regain strength, and she did really well during her stay with us.”

Following her rehabilitation, which included nutritious fish meals and time in a recovery pool, Oona was returned to the sea off the coast of Pembrokeshire — home to Wales’ best-known puffin colonies, particularly on Skomer Island.

Puffins typically breed in coastal colonies, raising their chicks in burrows during spring and summer before spending the rest of the year out at sea. It’s rare for them to be found inland unless blown off course or affected by illness or exhaustion.

Oona’s story is just one of thousands seen by the RSPCA each year. In 2024, the charity took in over 10,000 wild animals across its four dedicated wildlife centres, with many found injured, orphaned or sick in people’s gardens.

The RSPCA is urging the public to act quickly if they find an animal in distress. Where safe, they should take the animal directly to a vet or consult advice on the charity’s website: www.rspca.org.uk/reportcruelty

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Crime

Youth, 19, appears in court over Tenby stabbing incident

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A YOUNG man accused of stabbing a teenager in a Tenby housing estate on Monday (July 14) has been remanded in custody after appearing before magistrates.

OLIVER DOWLING, aged 19, of Newell Hill, Tenby, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (July 17) charged with three offences — including wounding with intent, possessing a knife in a public place, and possession of cannabis.

The charges relate to a serious incident on Hafalnod estate, where Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed a man was taken to hospital after being stabbed with a knife. The victim, named in court as JOSH ALLEN, is recovering from his injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening.

Dowling faces the following charges:

Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861),

Possession of a bladed article in a public place, namely a kitchen knife, on Hafalnod estate,

Possession of a quantity of cannabis, a Class B drug.

No pleas were entered, and magistrates declined bail on the grounds that Dowling was likely to reoffend and could interfere with witnesses. He was remanded in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Swansea Crown Court on August 18 at 9:00am.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed a 20-year-old man had been arrested shortly after the incident and that no other individuals are being sought in connection with the matter.

A police spokesperson said: “There continues to be an increased police presence within the area, and if anyone has any concerns please speak to those officers.”

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