News
Vital bus services cut

CHANGES are to be made to Pembrokeshire’s local bus services.
The changes follow the need to cut the bus service budget by £167,000. Most of the changes involve a reduction in the frequency of services, which is a preferred option of members of public following consultation.
The changes will take place from April 28 this year. “There are over 50 local bus services operating in Pembrokeshire of which the majority are subsidised by the Council,” said Councillor Rob Lewis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Planning.
“Last year a 25% reduction in the amount of Welsh Government funding provided to the Council meant that all subsidised Saturday and evening bus services were removed.
“Unfortunately further savings still need to be made this year,” he said.
“We have used the opportunity provided by the re-tendering of contracts this month to reconfigure services with operators who have responded positively. And, to ensure the impact of changes is kept to a minimum, we also asked members of the public for their views,” he said.
“We know how much people rely on their local bus service so we have made every effort to limit the negative effect of these changes.”
A questionnaire compiled by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Transport Unit last Autumn showed that while concerned at further cuts to bus services, the majority of people preferred cuts should involve reducing the frequency of services rather than the removal of entire routes.
The changes to bus services are as follows:
• 411 (Haverfordwest – St Davids)Contract awarded for 2 hourly service as opposed to current hourly service. The operator has indicated that they propose to enhance some of this service commercially and potentially operate hourly in the summer.
• 356 (Monkton – Milford Haven) Alternative tender specification accepted. This will remain an hourly service but with a simplified route that does not serve The Bush Estate. This estate is however going to be served by an hourly commercial service at no cost to the Council.
• 381 (Haverfordwest – Narberth- Tenby) Alternative tender specification accepted. The service will remain hourly but with a simplified route but with the late return journey operating in the summer only.
• 403 (Celtic Coaster – St Davids Peninsula) Number of vehicles reduced from 3 to 2 during School Summer Holidays.
• 387/88 (Coastal Cruiser – Angle Peninsula) Reduction in cost was achieved by redesigning the timetable whilst retaining the service to all villages served with slightly reduced frequency.
• 300 (Milford Town Service) Revenue funding for Saturdays removed. This service is operated commercially in the week, numbers travelling on Saturdays were low. The Council currently funds the Town Rider in Milford Haven on Saturday.
• 357a (Monkton – Pembroke Dock) Revenue funding for evening services removed. This was the only evening service remaining after previous cost saving exercises.
• 362 (Pembrokeshire Dock – Pennar – Pembroke Dock) Revenue funding for route enhancement removed due to low use.
Crime
‘Most extensive’ court order issued against paedophile with Pembrokeshire links

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

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
Crime
Youth, 19, appears in court over Tenby stabbing incident

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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