News

Rare fish washed up on local beach

Published

8 years ago

September 20, 2016

blue-marlin AN ENORMOUS blue marlin washed up at Freshwater East now has a new home in one of the world’s leading marine collections – at the Natural History Museum in London.

The four-metre fish caused excitement locally when it was discovered at the South Pembrokeshire beach last week, with many people believing it to be a swordfish.

Since then, it has been identified as only the third blue marlin ever to be washed up in the UK, and the first full one to be recovered.

The fish was inspected in situ by representatives from Milford Haven Coastguard and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, before being collected from the beach by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Council staff stored it at the Templeton depot and reported it to Rod Penrose of the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme.

And within 24 hours of him contacting the Natural History Museum, two experts from the Department of Life Sciences were on their way to collect it.

Oliver Crimmen, Senior Fish Curator, said they were delighted to hear about the blue marlin, and that it would initially be put into storage at the museum with many other fascinating finds from all over the world.

“The flies had started to take an interest in it but we were amazed it was in such good condition,” said Oliver. “I’m hopeful it will go to our research department and provide us with a valuable subject for science.”

He added that there is also a possibility it may go on display in the future. The skeleton of a vast blue whale found by whalers in Wexford Harbour in 1891 will be suspended from the ceiling of the Museum’s famous grand entrance, HIntze Hall, from summer 2017. Oliver – who worked with artist Damian Hirst on his art installation of a shark preserved in a tank of formaldehyde and has preserved many large fish specimens for the Museum’s collections – added: “It’s a spectacular beast and it would be lovely to display it.”

The blue marlin spends most of its life in the open sea far from land, and is generally associated with warmer waters.

Rod Penrose said two out of the three blue marlins washed up in the UK had been found in Pembrokeshire. The first was in Saundersfoot in 2008, although that specimen wasn’t good enough to be preserved.

But as the fish at Freshwater East was in such an excellent condition, he was keen to find it a home and contacted several organisations.

“Oliver at the Natural History Museum was incredibly interested and it’s great that it will be stored there,” he said.

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police pays out hundreds of thousands in compensation claims

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures reveal Dyfed-Powys Police has paid out £324,000 in compensation over the past five years, following nearly 200 claims made by members of the public.

A Freedom of Information requests show a whopping 186 claims were lodged against the force between 2019 and 2024, with compensation payments peaking in 2021/2022 at £138,111. Claims included allegations of unlawful arrest, financial losses, personal injury, and failure in duty of care.

In 2019/2020, 36 claims were made, with nine settled. The following year, 22 claims were lodged, with nine again resulting in payouts. Numbers rose to 38 claims in 2021/2022, with 11 settlements, before dropping slightly in 2022/2023 to 36 claims and eight payouts. However, the most recent figures for 2023/2024 show a significant rise, with 54 claims and seven settlements.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor from JF Law, said: “Claims against police forces highlight the importance of accountability. Issues such as wrongful arrest, assault, and negligence must be addressed seriously.”

Nationally, UK police forces have paid out millions in compensation, with property damage from botched raids cited as a frequent reason.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

News

Rail passengers in west Wales ‘let down’ by hundreds of train cancellations

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in west Wales are being “let down” following the cancellation of more than 650 Transport for Wales (TfW) trains on routes to Swansea and beyond in just 12 months.

Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, a total of 654 services were cancelled, impacting key routes to Llanelli, Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard, and Milford Haven. The cancellations have sparked frustration among passengers and raised concerns over the reliability of rail services in the region.

Transport for Wales, which took over day-to-day rail operations from Arriva nearly seven years ago, has faced ongoing criticism for service quality. A Rail User Survey in 2023 revealed that only 72% of passengers were satisfied with TfW services, making it the worst-rated operator in the UK at the time. By comparison, Southern Railway scored 80%.

Recent surveys show some improvements. Between February and September 2024, overall satisfaction rose to 85%, with punctuality increasing to 73% and frequency to 66%. However, these numbers remain below national averages, and the situation in west Wales continues to lag behind other regions.

Passengers in west Wales have long expressed frustration over frequent delays and cancellations. One traveller recounted a 60-mile journey from Cardiff Central to Carmarthen that resulted in an overnight stay in Cardiff due to multiple delays and cancellations. Replacement buses offered little reprieve, with onward journeys stretching well into the early hours.

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Transport, criticised the situation, saying: “These statistics show that Welsh passengers are being let down. Historical underinvestment in our rail network and infrastructure has led us to this position. In order to create a Welsh rail network that works for the people of Wales, it’s vital that decisions regarding Welsh rail are made in Wales.”

Mr Griffiths added: “Only Plaid Cymru fights for the devolution of rail infrastructure to ensure we can secure consistent investment in our network and deliver reliable services.”

Despite some recent improvements in customer satisfaction, the sheer scale of cancellations highlights ongoing issues with rail services in Wales, particularly in west Wales where consistent, reliable transport remains a challenge for many commuters and travellers.

Charity

Tributes paid to former Tenby RNLI crew member Stuart Fecci

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TENBY RNLI is mourning the loss of former Shore Crew member Stuart Fecci, who passed away recently. Stuart served aboard the Henry Comber Brown lifeboat until a tragic accident in 1988 resulted in the loss of his hand.

Despite the injury, Stuart remained a dedicated supporter of Tenby RNLI. The Fecci family has deep roots with the station, including Stuart’s son Samuel, who raised over £300 by completing the RNLI’s Mayday Mile walk in 2021.

Deputy Coxswain Jon Lewis, Stuart’s cousin who carries the Fecci name through his mother, paid tribute: “The last time I spoke to him, he greeted me in a packed Tudor Square as the larger-than-life character he was and shouted, ‘Coxswain Lewis!’ before continuing to congratulate me.”

Stuart will be deeply missed by the entire community. The thoughts of everyone at the station are with his wife Sally and his family during this difficult time.