FOUR PEOPLE RESCUED AS RIP CURRENTS AND OFFSHORE WINDS HIT PEMBROKESHIRE BEACHES

RNLI lifeguards in Pembrokeshire rescued four people and assisted six others in the water during a busy bank holiday weekend, as hot weather and May half-term crowds brought large numbers of visitors to the coast.

The charity said lifeguards had been kept busy at Whitesands and Newgale, where rip currents, offshore winds and swell caused several incidents involving children, bodyboarders and surfers.

On Saturday, lifeguards at Whitesands, St Davids, assisted three children who were swept out to sea in a flash rip current. They responded quickly on a rescue board and advised the children to swim parallel to the shore to escape the pull of the current, allowing them to return safely to the beach.

On Monday afternoon, two further rescues took place at Whitesands. At 2:25pm, lifeguard Tom Rogers entered the water with a rescue tube to help a child on a bodyboard who had been caught in a powerful rip current at the north end of the beach.

Around an hour later, lifeguard Jake Rogers entered the water on a rescue board after a woman became trapped in the same rip current. She was also brought safely back to shore.

At Newgale Beach, lifeguards rescued two surfers at around 2:00pm on Monday after they were spotted more than 400 metres out to sea and drifting rapidly towards the south end of the beach.

Lifeguard Harry Nichols saw from the tower that the surfers were fatigued and struggling against the wind. Lifeguards Dafydd and Arthur paddled out on rescue boards, reached the exhausted pair, and helped them return safely to shore.

Later in the afternoon, at around 4:00pm, lifeguards dealt with several incidents involving children on bodyboards who had found themselves out of their depth due to strong offshore winds and swell. They were assisted back to shore by lifeguards on rescue boards.

Senior Beach Lifeguard Dafydd Ridgeway said: “With it being a bank holiday weekend, the May half-term and very hot weather, beach numbers have risen a great deal, with lots of visitors coming to the coast.

“We would like to remind everyone to swim between the red and yellow flags and be aware of offshore winds that can blow you out to sea.

“Our orange windsock marks when there are strong offshore winds and we advise against the use of inflatables, as you can easily be blown out to sea.

“We would also like to remind people to keep an eye on their children due to the numerous incidents over the weekend where children became quickly out of their depth.”

The RNLI said that, despite the warm weather, sea temperatures remain cold and cold water shock is still a real risk.

Anyone who gets into difficulty in the water is advised to Float to Live by tilting their head back with their ears submerged, relaxing, trying to breathe normally, and using their hands and legs to stay afloat. Once breathing is under control, they should call for help or swim to safety.

Anyone who sees someone in trouble at the coast should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard, tell the person to float, and throw them something that floats if it is safe to do so.

RNLI lifeguards in Pembrokeshire are currently operating at Tenby South, Newgale Central and Whitesands from 10:00am to 6:00pm every day for the remainder of half-term.

After Sunday (May 31), Newgale Central will return to weekend-only lifeguard cover, while Tenby South and Whitesands will continue to be lifeguarded every day until September.

CALLS for an M4 relief road around Newport have been reignited after First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said he wanted to find a “roads-based” answer to congestion on one of Wales’ most important transport routes.

The Welsh Conservatives said the comments must now be followed by a firm commitment to deliver a new relief road, warning that businesses and motorists had waited decades for action on the M4 bottleneck around the Brynglas Tunnels.

The issue has long been one of the most controversial infrastructure debates in Wales. A previous relief road scheme was scrapped in 2019 after around £157m had already been spent on planning and associated costs.

Supporters argue that congestion around Newport damages the Welsh economy, discourages investment and causes daily delays for commuters and freight. Opponents have previously raised concerns about cost, environmental damage and the impact on the Gwent Levels.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, said: “The Brynglas Tunnels are among the most congested stretches of road anywhere in the United Kingdom.

“The previous Labour Government, backed by Plaid Cymru at the time, scrapped the M4 relief road after spending £157 million of taxpayers’ money on planning its delivery.

“Vague words about finding a ‘roads-based solution’ are not enough. We now need a clear commitment from the First Minister to deliver an M4 Relief Road and other vital infrastructure needed to grow the Welsh economy and ease pressure on motorists.”

Newport and Islwyn MS Natasha Asghar said people in south-east Wales had heard “broken promise after broken promise” over the M4.

She said: “The First Minister must now deliver for the people of Newport and Islwyn, warm words alone are not enough.

“If Plaid Cymru is serious about tackling traffic problems in South East Wales, it must commit to delivering an M4 relief road to ease pressure on drivers, attract investment and boost the economy.”

The M4 is a key route linking Wales with England, ports, manufacturing sites and distribution networks. Congestion around Newport has repeatedly been cited by business groups as a barrier to economic growth.

The First Minister has not yet set out what form any new road-based proposal would take, how much it would cost, or whether it would revive the original relief road route.

The debate is now likely to become an early test of the new Plaid Cymru Government’s approach to transport, economic development and environmental policy.

AUDIT WALES has raised fresh concerns about digital transformation in parts of NHS Wales, warning that weaknesses in planning, funding, governance and assurance could limit the impact of modernisation efforts.

The findings come in two new reports examining digital transformation at Velindre University NHS Trust and Powys Teaching Health Board.

At Velindre, Audit Wales found that the trust recognises digital transformation as central to modernising services and has a ten-year digital strategy in place. However, auditors said the strategy does not include a detailed, costed delivery plan, making it harder for the trust to prioritise work, use resources effectively, and be confident that its ambitions can be delivered.

In Powys, auditors found a clearer digital framework and improved governance, but warned that weaknesses remain around financial planning, measuring benefits, assurance reporting, legacy systems, disaster recovery and long-term resilience.

The reports raise wider questions about whether NHS Wales has the leadership, infrastructure and resources needed to deliver digital healthcare reform at pace.

Digital transformation is seen as vital to reducing pressure on services, improving patient records, cutting duplication, supporting safer prescribing and helping clinicians access information more quickly.

However, repeated delays and inconsistent systems across the NHS have long been a source of frustration for staff and patients.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, Natasha Asghar MS, said: “Digital transformation is essential if we are to improve patient outcomes, reduce waiting lists and modernise the NHS in Wales, but that cannot happen without the right infrastructure, leadership and delivery in place.

“Plaid’s so-called plan is still only a proposal to develop a future strategy, rather than delivering the action needed. These reports show NHS Wales cannot afford more vague promises and delayed delivery.

“If Ministers are serious about reforming healthcare in Wales, creating an environment where digital transformation can succeed must be a top priority.”

The issue is likely to be watched closely across west Wales, where patients often rely on services spread across multiple hospital sites and health boards.

The Herald will be asking the Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board what assurances they can give that digital systems in west Wales are fit for purpose, properly funded, and able to support safer and faster patient care.