Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

News

Tenby: Eye test leads to the discovery of woman’s brain tumour

Published

on

eye testA MOTHER of two from Tenby has thanked her local opticians after a check-up helped to detect a potentially sight-threatening brain tumour.
 
Peta Spiller, 37, visited her local doctor after experiencing a sudden loss of vision and was advised to contact Specsavers to help identify the root cause of her change in vision.
 
Specsavers in Pembroke Dock is accredited to deliver Wales Eye Care Services (WECS), meaning it is eligible to deliver primary eyecare services on behalf of the NHS in the form of targeted clinical tests. 
 
Prior to her loss of vision, Mrs Spiller had worn glasses for a number of years and had experienced sinus problems which she thought may have been responsible for the sudden deterioration in her sight.
 
Following a two-hour test at Specsavers, Gary Owen, store director and the optician who tested Mrs Spiller, contacted a hospital-based ophthalmologist and arranged an emergency appointment for her that day. At her local hospital, Mrs Spiller had a CT scan and it was discovered that she had a lump on her brain.  
 
She was transferred to the neurological ward in Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales for an MRI scan, which confirmed that Mrs Spiller was suffering from a pituitary tumour.
 
The pituitary gland sits at the base of the brain and tumours that develop in this area are normally benign but swelling can put pressure on the optic nerve, causing sudden and substantial loss of vision.
 
Mrs Spiller underwent three hours of surgery to remove the tumour. Her eyesight returned to normal within 48 hours of her operation, but she remained in a high-dependency ward for four days and was then transferred to the neurology ward for a further four days.
 
Mrs Spiller now takes medication, and will do for the foreseeable future, to replace the hormones that were previously created by the pituitary gland, but her sight has been fully restored.
 
Mrs Spiller said: ‘It was extremely frightening to suddenly lose my vision and my first instinct was to go to my doctor.
 
‘Looking back, I feel very fortunate that Specsavers could see me so quickly and carry out such an in-depth test, I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t had the test that day. They made sure I was seen by a specialist straight away, which gave me the best chance of having my sight fully restored.’
 
Gary Owen, director at Specsavers in Pembroke Dock, said: ‘Peta’s experience is an important example of why we must respond quickly to any changes in our sight and visit an optician, who has specialist and advanced knowledge of eye care.
 
‘On this occasion, Peta’s tumour was of such a size that it affected her vision, which obviously triggered her to visit us but not all eye-related conditions will have such obvious warning signs until they are at advanced stages.
 
‘Thankfully, most of the customers we see at Specsavers in Pembroke Dock are healthy and well, but at times we do see people with more serious conditions, which only highlights the importance of looking after your eye health. If you notice a change in your vision, our advice is to get in touch with your local optician straight away.’
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community

West Wales activist recalls fear and resolve after Gaza march derailed in Egypt

Published

on

Jim Scott from Mathry describes stressful journey, adapted plans, and Egyptian fears over diplomatic fallout

A PEMBROKESHIRE campaigner who travelled to Egypt this month to join the Global March to Gaza has shared his personal account of a fraught and ultimately curtailed international effort to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians trapped under siege.

Travelled to Egypt: Campaigner Jim Scott

Jim Scott, from Mathry near St Davids, was among a small group of UK and Welsh activists who travelled to Cairo with the hope of reaching the Rafah crossing—via Ismailia and the Sinai desert—to hold a peaceful humanitarian presence near Gaza’s border.

The march, which attracted thousands of participants from more than 54 countries, was intended as a symbolic act calling for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. But on the ground, Scott says, the effort quickly became complicated by shifting instructions, heavy surveillance, and growing pressure from Egyptian authorities.

“A moral imperative”

“I spent a week wrestling with the decision,” Scott told The Herald. “It felt like a moral imperative. I didn’t know if I was going or not—then I started planning, and the act of planning became part of the commitment.”

He flew to Cairo in early June and connected with other participants via local and international chat groups. At least eight to ten people from Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, including members of CND Cymru, had joined the international delegation.

Scott said that the original plan—to take organised buses from Cairo to Al Arish and walk approximately 30 miles through the Sinai desert to Rafah—began to shift around June 13 as questions emerged about whether the Egyptian government would permit the action to proceed.

“The bus plan hadn’t disintegrated exactly—it had adapted,” he said. “There was a lot of uncertainty about whether we would be allowed to reach Rafah, so the guidance started to change.”

Changing plans and regional detours

On June 14, Scott and his travelling companion Jo Barrow—who works as a teacher in Iraq—opted to take an alternate route to Ismailia by heading north from Cairo via Zagazig, avoiding heavily monitored roads.

“We realised that taking the main highway would likely bring us into contact with checkpoints,” he said. “Our route wasn’t risk-free, but it was more discreet.”

As they travelled, group chats lit up with reports of growing interference. “From the 13th and 14th onwards, we started hearing that people were being stopped, some had their passports taken, and the situation was getting more difficult. There was fragmentation. People were getting stuck, some were being turned back.”

“No tourists permitted to remain”

After arriving in Ismailia, the pair received location instructions for a tourist resort rumoured to be able to accommodate 4,000 marchers. But confusion and logistical disarray followed.

“We reached Ismailia after dark and ended up being redirected from our accommodation,” Scott said. “We were getting two to three hours of sleep a night. The sense of being watched hadn’t stopped.”

The next day, while near the resort, Scott and Barrow were approached by police. Initially, the officers were courteous, but then one delivered a translated message using a phone:

“I am the Egyptian police. No tourists are permitted to remain in this area. You have to go back to Cairo immediately or you will be arrested.”

They complied and were instructed to book a hotel in Cairo to confirm their travel. The pair left Ismailia and returned to the capital, where the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.

“By that point, UK organisers were reportedly being detained in cafés, and it was clear downtown Cairo was no longer safe,” Scott recalled. “We relocated south of the city. It was stressful—people felt they could be arrested at any moment. The surveillance was constant, and hotels were passing information to authorities.”

Egyptian fears over diplomatic fallout

Scott said conversations with Egyptian locals offered insight into the government’s motivations.

“The word on the street from Egyptian people was that the authorities were genuinely fearful for our safety. They felt that if Israel opened fire and foreign nationals were killed, it would trigger a huge diplomatic crisis—and devastate Egypt’s tourism industry, which is vital for the country.”

He said locals acknowledged that foreign protesters were being treated more gently than Egyptian citizens would have been. “One said to me: ‘They treat you like babies compared to how they treat us.’”

According to Reuters, over 400 activists were deported and dozens more detained. The march was officially cancelled on June 16.

Scott returned to the UK on June 20. Barrow returned to Iraq the next day.

“Far more than a performative action”

Despite the disruption, Scott believes the effort had a lasting impact.

“This was far more than a performative action,” he said. “We had no choice but to act and fill a void. When governments fail to uphold international law, ordinary people have to step in.”

In a letter to Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell and Eluned Morgan MS before departing, Scott wrote: “I feel I must act where you have not acted. The UK Government has failed to stop a genocide and has, in fact, been complicit by continuing to authorise arms sales and military cooperation with Israel.”

He welcomed Morgan’s later remarks acknowledging that Welsh citizens had travelled to Egypt for the march and said it was important to have that public recognition.

“For some people watching back home, it wasn’t just another protest. It was their loved ones out there. That helped build awareness in a new way.”

Continue Reading

Community

Five call outs for Angle RNLI in just one week

Published

on

ANGLE RNLI volunteers have had a busy week, with five shouts in just seven days — including two late-night launches, a drifting boat, and two separate incidents on the Cleddau Bridge.

Late-night lifeboat launch after drifting boat reported

In the early hours of Sunday morning (June 22), the crew were woken at 1:54am to reports of a vessel drifting near Lawrenny Quay. The all-weather lifeboat launched swiftly and began searching the area, deploying the smaller Y boat up the Cresswell River while the main crew combed the Carew River and Lawrenny moorings.

With nothing spotted, they pushed on up the Cleddau as far as Llangwm. Thankfully, no one was found in danger, and the crew were stood down around 4:20am. Tenby and Broad Haven Coastguard teams were also on scene carrying out searches from the shoreline.

False alarm near Wards Pier

On Wednesday evening (June 18), lifeboat crew already training at the station were sent out after reports of two 12-year-olds in the water off Wards Pier. They launched quickly and arrived on scene to find no sign of anyone in difficulty — just a few fishermen who hadn’t seen anything.

After a short coordinated search with Dale Coastguard and police, the call was confirmed as a false alarm. The crew were back at the jetty by 7:30pm.

Yacht breakdown sparks rescue mission

On Monday morning (June 16), at 10:19am, the Angle crew were called out to assist a 37-foot yacht with three people on board, drifting three miles south-west of St Ann’s Head with engine failure.

The yacht was under sail but unable to reach safety. A tow was passed, and the lifeboat took the vessel to Hobbs Point, transferring to an alongside tow for the final stretch. The mission was completed by 1:00pm, and the lifeboat was made ready for its next job.

Two separate shouts to Cleddau Bridge

There were also two call-outs to the Cleddau Bridge — one on Saturday afternoon (June 21) and one this evening (June 22) at 5:23pm — both for incidents where police requested assistance. In both cases, the crew were preparing to launch but were stood down before hitting the water, after officers confirmed the incidents had been safely resolved.

Volunteers always ready

The RNLI crew at Angle remain on call 24/7, ready to respond no matter the time, weather or nature of the call. As this week shows — whether it’s a drifting boat, missing children, or a stricken yacht — they’re always ready to answer the call.

Brave volunteers: Ready at all hours to keep our coastlines safe (Pic: RNLI Angle)

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Programme unveiled for Fishguard Festival of Music 2025

Published

on

International stars and Welsh talent set to perform across the region

THE 2025 Fishguard Festival of Music will run from July 18 to 31, bringing a packed programme of classical and contemporary music to venues across Fishguard, Goodwick, and beyond.

The festival will open with a performance by the Welsh National Opera Orchestra at ST DAVID’S CATHEDRAL, featuring celebrated soprano REBECCA EVANS CBE as the soloist.

Now in its 53rd year, the festival continues its mission to showcase international excellence alongside emerging and homegrown talent, with concerts taking place at locations including THEATR GWAUN, BETHEL CHAPEL, NEUADD Y DDERWEN, RHOSYGILWEN, and open-air performances on THE PARROG in GOODWICK.

Artistic Director GILLIAN GREEN MBE said: “It’s a pleasure to share this year’s programme, which draws inspiration from our past and looks boldly to the future. Audiences will experience a rich variety of classical music performed by some of the finest artists working today.”

The line-up features names from across the UK and further afield, including the AQUARELLE GUITAR QUARTET, harpist MARED PUGH-EVANS, and percussionist DELIA STEVENS alongside harmonica virtuoso WILL POUND.

The festival also includes talks by composer and broadcaster GERAINT LEWIS, and a special appearance by the NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF WALES, who will close the festival at ST DAVID’S CATHEDRAL on July 31.

This year’s full programme includes:

Friday, July 18 – Welsh National Opera Orchestra with Rebecca Evans, St David’s Cathedral
Saturday, July 19 – Delia Stevens & Will Pound, Theatr Gwaun
Sunday, July 20 – Free open-air performances, The Parrog, Goodwick
Monday, July 21 – Ryan Vaughan Davies & David Doidge, Neuadd y Dderwen, Rhosygilwen
Tuesday, July 22 – Aquarelle Guitar Quartet, Bethel Chapel
Wednesday, July 23 – Mared Pugh-Evans (harp), Bethel Chapel
Thursday, July 24 – WNO Chamber Ensemble, Neuadd y Dderwen
Friday, July 25 – Kosmos Ensemble, Theatr Gwaun
Saturday, July 26 – Geoff Eales Trio, Theatr Gwaun
Sunday, July 27 – Geraint Lewis talks at Twr y Felin and St Peter’s Church, plus Young Music Makers of Dyfed at Theatr Gwaun
Monday, July 28 – Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Bethel Chapel
Tuesday, July 29 – Saints and Stones Tour, various locations
Wednesday, July 30 – Laura van der Heijden & Jâms Coleman, Neuadd y Dderwen
Thursday, July 31 – National Youth Orchestra of Wales, St David’s Cathedral

More information and tickets are available through the festival’s official website.

Continue Reading

Crime11 hours ago

Police block Brechfa rave as hundreds descend on remote woodland

Officers issue dispersal order after overnight ‘well-organised’ gathering in Carmarthenshire countryside DYFED-POWYS POLICE have intervened to shut down a large...

Entertainment1 day ago

Thousands mark 40 years of Pride in the Welsh capital

Cardiff comes alive with colour, music, and celebration as Pride Cymru commemorates historic milestone THOUSANDS of people took to the...

Crime1 day ago

Milford Haven woman and inmate to appear in court following drugs raid

Police seized cocaine, cannabis and £2,470 in cash at Howarth Close A WOMAN from Milford Haven and a man currently...

News2 days ago

Man airlifted to Cardiff after serious crash near Tenby

Retired couple from Merthyr injured in collision on A4139 A MAN has been airlifted to hospital in Cardiff with serious...

News2 days ago

Henry Tufnell among MPs approve assisted dying bill in landmark vote

24 Welsh MPs support change in end-of-life law A CONTROVERSIAL bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults has...

Education3 days ago

School closure raises alarm over future of alternative education in Pembrokeshire

Westward House to shut after just one year—former Castle School site under same ownership set to close again A SCHOOL...

Business3 days ago

Celtic Holiday Parks in administration as buyer sought

Popular holiday sites at Narberth and Amroth continue to trade CELTIC HOLIDAY PARKS, the family-run company behind two of Pembrokeshire’s...

Health3 days ago

Locked up for Autism: Thousands detained under mental health law

“He didn’t break the law. He just needed help. Now he’s locked in a hospital hundreds of miles away.” —...

Sport3 days ago

Hundreds take the plunge at Fishguard Triathlon

Popular coastal event returns with strong turnout and community support HUNDREDS of athletes descended on Fishguard on Sunday (June 15)...

News3 days ago

Dark fleet collision sparks safety fears for Milford Haven-bound vessels

Rogue tankers pose rising threat to global shipping routes A MAJOR maritime collision off the coast of Fujairah has raised...

Popular This Week