News

Powerboat championship to be held in Milford Haven

Published

9 years ago

January 23, 2017

Tom Sinclair

Local team: Daisy and Sam Coleman

MILFORD HAVEN will host the Welsh Grand Prix for the adrenaline fuelled Powerboat P1 National Championships this year.

Centred around the new Milford Waterfront development, it will be the only venue in Wales to welcome the powerboat racers in 2017.

Held between July 14-17 2017, it’s expected to be an action packed weekend that will complement Pembrokeshire’s established reputation as a host of world-class events, which includes Ironman and Red Bull Cliff Diving.

The racers will use Milford Waterfront as their base providing spectators with superb opportunities for watching the race and enjoying the exciting build up activities, events and hospitality. The marina, town and surrounding areas have a range of places to stay as well as restaurants and cafes so the huge crowd the event is expected to draw will be well catered for.

The race is set to feature Pembrokeshire’s own Powerboating team, Daisy and Sam Coleman, who are sponsored by Milford Waterfront in 2017.

The team, Coleman Racing, claimed the P1 Superstock National Championship title in Bournemouth last year and were the first team in the series’ history to podium at every event. They will be using Milford Waterfront as their base for training and testing throughout the winter, as well as hosting experience days in the coming year with a variety of boats and jet skis on show. Having a race event on their training ground gives the pair a great advantage.

Neil Jenkins, Destination Director at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “Attracting world-class events is a key part of Milford Waterfront’s strategy and we’ve worked closely with Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council to bring the P1 National Championships to Pembrokeshire.

“This will be an outstanding event which will help in drawing international attention to Pembrokeshire and Wales. We are looking forward to working with local businesses and community groups in the run up to the event to maximise the economic benefit and to ensure racers and spectators leave wanting to come back.”

Milford Waterfront is a Port of Milford Haven development that received a resolution to grant planning consent from Pembrokeshire County Council in 2015 for the future development on the marina. This will create new, exciting attractions and revitalise the existing waterfront destination by adding a mix of local, regional and national brands within the leisure, retail, residential, office and dining sectors.

It is envisaged that as well as creating around 600 long term jobs it will provide a boost to the local economy through increased local spending and an uplift in visitor numbers.

Charity

Christmas jumper fundraiser raises £360 for youth counselling

Published

17 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CHRISTMAS Jumper Day fundraiser held by staff at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd has raised £360 for the Megan’s Starr Foundation, helping fund vital mental health support for young people.

The money, presented to the charity by Carla and Liam, will pay for 10 professional counselling sessions for young people who are struggling and in urgent need of support.

The Megan’s Starr Foundation said the sessions provide a safe space for young people to talk, be listened to, and feel supported at a time when it matters most.

In a statement, the charity thanked the firm and its staff for getting involved, adding that access to timely support can be life changing and can help young people realise they are not alone.

The foundation said it was grateful to everyone at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd who took part, describing the donation as one that will have a real and lasting impact on local young people and their mental health.

News

Investigation launched after man found dead near Carmarthen railway line

Published

17 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man whose body was found in a field close to the railway track near Carmarthen railway station.

Emergency services were called to the area at just after 8:30am on Saturday (Jan 10). Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended alongside paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Witnesses reported seeing police and ambulance vehicles outside the station’s main entrance, with officers also in an adjacent field near a railway bridge.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

A police spokesperson said enquiries are ongoing and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.

No further details, including the man’s age or identity, have been released.

Crime

Former Gwent detective would have been sacked after off duty assault conviction

Published

18 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Ex officer found guilty of gross misconduct following Devon incident and magistrates court conviction

A FORMER Gwent Police detective sergeant has been found guilty of gross misconduct after being convicted of assaulting a man while off duty in Devon.

Joanne Marston resigned from the force shortly before an accelerated misconduct hearing was due to begin at Cwmbran on Monday. The panel went ahead in her absence.

The hearing was told the incident happened in February 2024 while Marston was off duty in Devon. She was later arrested and charged with common assault, and was convicted at Exeter Magistrates’ Court in March last year.

A professional standards investigation concluded she had breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct. The panel upheld the allegation and found it amounted to gross misconduct.

Had she remained a serving officer, the panel ruled she would have been dismissed without notice.

Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend, who chaired the hearing, said the former officer’s actions were “shocking and unacceptable” and warned that such behaviour damages public confidence in policing.

Marston will now be placed on the College of Policing barred list, preventing her from serving with any police force in the UK.