FAMILIES planning a summer visit to Carew Castle and Tidal Mill, Castell Henllys and Oriel y Parc will benefit from reduced prices on selected tickets, events and children’s lunch boxes from June 25 to September 1.

The temporary reduction follows the UK Government’s decision to reduce VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent on eligible children’s menu meals and family leisure activities during the summer period.

Eligible child and family day tickets at Carew Castle and Tidal Mill and Castell Henllys will be included, along with selected events such as open-air theatre, concerts and Carew’s Grand Medieval Joust. Young Squires lunch boxes from Nest Tearoom at Carew Castle will also be reduced.

Discounts will be applied automatically at the till point, or at the online checkout for eligible event bookings.

James Parkin, Director of Nature and Tourism at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “The summer holidays are an important time for families to enjoy days out together, but we know that costs can quickly add up.

“This temporary reduction will help make selected visits, events and children’s meals more affordable at the attractions run by the Authority. Our hope is that this will give families more opportunities to enjoy the National Park this summer.

“Carew Castle, Castell Henllys and Oriel y Parc each offer something different, from heritage and hands-on history to family events, exhibitions, food and outdoor space, and we look forward to welcoming visitors over the coming weeks.”

To find out what’s on across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park this summer, visit www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/events. 

Coastguard teams called to Dinas Island near Pwllgwaelod

A WOMAN was stretchered from the coast path near Pwllgwaelod after suffering an ankle injury.

HM Coastguard Fishguard was tasked at 5:22pm on Friday, June 27, alongside HM Coastguard Teifi, to assist the casualty on Dinas Island.

The teams attended the scene near Hendre Farm Campsite and Cottages and, with help from the landowner, were able to quickly locate the injured woman.

Her injured limb was immobilised before she was carried by stretcher to her nearby car, where family members were able to take her on to hospital.

Fishguard Coastguard thanked the landowner for their help.

ORGANISERS of a country music festival held in Carmarthen have thanked visitors for their support while admitting that parts of the event “did not go exactly as planned”.

This Ain’t Texas Festival took place at the United Counties Showground on Saturday (Jun 27), promising live country music, line dancing, American BBQ, street food, western-themed stalls and family-friendly entertainment.

The event was part of a UK-wide tour, with the Carmarthen date promoted as a Nashville-style day out for families and country music fans.

But after the event, a number of attendees took to social media to raise concerns about queues, parking, food options and the overall organisation of the day.

In a statement posted online, organisers said: “Thank you, Carmarthen. What a day.

“Firstly, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out and made this event so special. The support, energy, and positive feedback we’ve received across the country has been incredible, and we’re truly grateful for every single one of you.

“That said, we also know that not everything went exactly as planned. We’ve received some constructive feedback from attendees, and we want you to know that we’ve listened carefully.”

Some visitors said they had enjoyed the atmosphere, music and line dancing, while others said the event had fallen short of expectations.

One attendee said the day had been “very disappointing” after booking early-bird tickets and looking forward to the festival for months.

Another visitor said the bar queue was long, adding that they had queued for more than an hour, although they still felt the ticket price had been good value.

Others called for more food choice, including vegetarian options, and said parking and space on site would need to be reviewed if the event returned on a larger scale.

There was also praise for the local line dancing element, with one attendee saying it had “definitely added to the experience”.

The festival had been advertised as a one-day country and western-themed event, with live tribute acts, dancing, food, drink, stalls and activities.