News

Shark catch may be biggest ever in Welsh waters

Published

8 years ago

July 19, 2018

A LLANELLI fisherman had a day to remember on a recent angling trip – landing a massive 21 stone shark.

George Simmonds was on a charter trip fishing out of Dale, Pembrokeshire, when he hooked the enormous thresher shark – thought to be the biggest ever caught in Welsh waters

It took him two hours to land the shark, and three men were needed to lift it onto the boat, where its weight was calculated before it was released alive.

Only three thresher sharks are believed to have been caught in Wales, with the previous record set in 2015 by Mr Simmonds’ friend, David Thomas – also in waters off Milford Haven.

The pair were together on the latest fishing expedition on Wednesday morning when they saw a pair of thresher sharks leaping from the water, before Mr Simmonds’ reel started to spin. The shark ran off around 300m of line, and was finally landed after over two hours.

“It was pretty hard and when I saw it, let’s just say I said a few choice adjectives,” he said.

“I’ve been fishing since I was young enough to hold a fishing rod and I’ve travelled all over the world fishing – but this was a big moment, a personal achievement for me.

“It’s so rare and difficult to land a thresher shark as they are so large. In the shark world, it’s up there at the top of the list.”

Thresher sharks get their name from their long tail, which is often as long as their body. The sharks are active predators, and are commonly found along the North American and Asian continental shelves.

Meirion Williams, from Bridgend – who is known as Pie – organises regular shark fishing trips in the summer months off the Pembrokeshire coast and was with Mr Simmonds and others when they made the catch.

He said records showed it was only the third thresher shark caught off the coast and they believed it was a the largest and heaviest – but they are unable to claim an official record because they did not kill their catch.

“It was so big it got caught in the hatch door of the boat as we tried to get it on board,” he said.

“The body was 6ft 8in long and the tail was 6ft – it was the length of the boat.

“We put the shark back quickly and then it swam off really calmly.

“These sharks are very, very rare to see in Wales and so hard to catch.”

Andy Truelove, the skipper of the boat, added: “As with any shark there is a risk of being bitten and it does happen – never seen an incident myself and wouldn’t want to, teeth are like razor blades.

“With a thresher there is also a risk from the tail, it could do you a lot of damage. Fortunately this lady was well behaved.”

Research published this week showed that Pembrokeshire was one of the top five places in the country for spotting different species of shark, with more predicted to move into the waters around the coast as a result of rising sea temperatures over the next 30 years.

News

Reform attacks Plaid on spending and immigration ahead of Senedd poll

Published

18 minutes ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Party claims Plaid’s plans would strain public finances and increase pressure on services, while rivals insist Wales needs a different approach for Wales

REFORM UK has stepped up its attack on Plaid Cymru ahead of the Senedd election, accusing the party of making unaffordable spending promises and warning that its approach to migration would place further pressure on already stretched public services.

The criticism comes as the election campaign intensifies before polling day on Thursday, May 7, with Reform seeking to draw a sharp dividing line between itself and Plaid on both the economy and immigration.

Reform candidate Llyr Powell said Plaid was offering “fantasy economics”, pointing to analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies which said the party’s manifesto contained important question marks over how some of its commitments would be funded. The IFS warned that, with the Welsh budget already expected to be under strain, delivering Plaid’s plans could mean deeper cuts to unprotected services or increases in devolved taxes.

Mr Powell said: “This is exactly the kind of politics people are fed up with — big promises, no plan. The independent experts are clear: Plaid’s numbers simply do not add up.

“Families across Wales are already struggling with the cost of living. The last thing they need is a government quietly hiking taxes to cover unfunded promises.”

Reform Wales leader Dan Thomas also attacked Plaid over migration, claiming the party’s stance would add to pressures on housing, schools and the NHS.

He said: “Here in Wales we have a health crisis, an education crisis and a housing crisis.

“The last thing we need is a surge in immigration adding further pressure on hospitals, schools and communities.

“Vote Reform on May 7 to stop Plaid’s immigration surge.”

Plaid Cymru, however, has presented its manifesto as a programme for “real hope for the future of Wales”, with Rhun ap Iorwerth saying the party is offering renewal, practical action and a new direction for the country.

The party’s platform focuses heavily on health, childcare, education and economic development, arguing that Wales needs new leadership, new energy and new ideas after years of Labour-led government.

On migration, the wider Welsh Government position has been that international recruitment remains necessary in some sectors. Ministers have previously said that while domestic skills investment remains vital, international recruitment is still an important part of workforce strategy in the short to medium term.

That means the issue is likely to become an increasingly prominent dividing line in the run-up to polling day, with Reform arguing for a tougher stance while Plaid and others continue to frame migration as part of a broader workforce and economic challenge facing Wales.

Community

Lauren Clewes begins trainee solicitor role at Eaton-Evans and Morris

Published

31 minutes ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire law firm confirms internal promotion after Lauren joined the business as a paralegal in 2024

LAUREN CLEWES has been promoted to trainee solicitor at Eaton-Evans and Morris Solicitors.

Lauren joined the firm in 2024 as a paralegal, working first with Helen Hodges and later with Pauline Mainwaring. Over the coming months, she will work alongside the firm’s fee earners across all departments as part of her training.

Sean Dyer, one of the firm’s directors (pictured), offered his congratulations on her promotion.