News

Not on our patch: No Easter rave thanks to police and partners

Published

7 years ago

April 26, 2019

CLOSE partnership working between Dyfed-Powys Police, Gwent Police, Natural Resources Wales, local authorities, Brecon Beacons National Park and LandMarc saw off three raves this Easter.

23 potential sites across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys were patrolled over the bank holiday weekend, in an operation known as Flamenco.

As part of #OpFlamenco, police urged members of the public to report suspicious activity immediately, so gatherings could be disrupted before they grew.

An event in the Brechfa forestry, Carmarthenshire, was thwarted when Natural Resources Wales staff spotted a suspicious bag of stones, and ribbons tied to gates and hedges, designed as a signpost. Police seized the items and the gathering was cancelled.

One resident in Gwynne Fawr, Powys, reported vehicles arriving in the valley, allowing three Dyfed-Powys Police units and a Gwent Police unit to attend and disperse five vehicles from the area.

A gathering of 14 vehicles was moved from the Tal-Y-Bont on Usk reservoir, Powys, after a report from a Welsh Water Ranger alerted police. A sound system was packed away but a number of people were made to stay in a layby because they were too intoxicated to drive away.

On Twitter, PS 298 Owen Dillon said: “Dispersed a small gathering at the Takybont on Usk [sic] reservoir after call from @DwrCymru then turned vehicles back from Gwynne Fawr assisted by @gwentpolice to disrupt their plans. Officers left to cover the road. #OpFlamenco.”

Illegal raves are extremely disruptive for communities and cause damage to farmland and the countryside. Dai Rees, land management team leader from Natural Resources Wales, said:

“Our forests and countryside should be available for everyone to enjoy but illegal raves can damage the environment, impact on wildlife and leave it in a dangerous state for other people.

“These events cause misery for visitors and local communities, and we’re already taking measures to make it more difficult for people to organise them on our land. But spotting the signs early and reporting them is also really important and means that we can take action early to stop large gatherings forming.

“Working together with the Police and local communities has proved invaluable and we continue to encourage people to report anything suspicious to the Police on 101.”

In a Tweet, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, Claire Parmenter, thanked the police officers and staff who worked on the operation, saying:

“Thank you to all the Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff that have worked over the Easter break, some excellent proactivity and several illegal raves prevented through partnership working and intelligence sharing, diolch.”

Efforts to crack down on the events are continuing in the coming months, working to tackle the issues that unlicensed events bring, such as:

· Safety concerns: people are under the influence of drink and drugs with no first aid or medical facilities at hand. It is difficult and sometime impossible to get ambulances to casualties.

· Drink and drug driving.

· Rubbish and human waste left at sites and the subsequent hygiene issues this brings.

· Risk of fires.

· Criminal damage and theft.

· Illegal drug dealing.

· Underage drinking.

Local Government

Armed Forces flag flies over County Hall

Published

1 hour ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE ARMED FORCES flag is flying proudly at County Hall this week ahead of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 27.

Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Tessa Hodgson, and the Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Simon Hancock were among those who marked the flag raising on Monday morning (June 22).

Also present were the Chairman of Council, Cllr Delme Harries, the Chief Executive, Will Bramble and the Regional Armed Forces Covenant Liaison Officer, Hayley Edwards.

Cllr Hancock said: “It is always a very proud moment to see the Armed Forces Flag flying over County Hall.

“Armed Forces Day is a chance to show our deep appreciation for the men and women who serve, as well as the families and communities who support them.

“Our county has a rich history of connection with the Armed Forces, and we are proud to uphold and strengthen that bond.

“As a Council we are committed to ensuring that members of the Armed Forces community in Pembrokeshire receive the recognition and support they truly deserve and we are proud to be a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award holder.”

Crime

Accused Milford Haven rapist to stand trial at Crown Court

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared before magistrates accused of rape and sexual assault.

James Kershaw, 46, is charged with raping a woman in Milford Haven between February 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014.

He also faces a charge of sexually assaulting a female over the age of 13 by penetration with his finger between December 1 and December 30, 2012.

Kershaw appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Jun 23) by video link and denied both charges.

Due to the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Swansea Crown Court, where Kershaw is due to appear for a pre-trial hearing on July 24.

He was released on conditional bail, with the sole condition that he must not contact the complainant.

News

Bus overturns in major incident near Kidwelly

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

All passengers rescued as emergency services remain at scene

A BUS overturned on the A484 between Kidwelly and Ferryside on Tuesday (Jun 23), prompting a major emergency response and lengthy road closures.

The incident happened shortly after 12:20pm near the Kidwelly roundabout at Parc y Bocs.

Emergency services, including firefighters from Kidwelly, Carmarthen and Tumble, were sent to the scene following reports of a serious collision involving the bus.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that all passengers were safely removed from the vehicle.

A spokesperson said: “All passengers have been safely removed from the bus and are receiving appropriate care.”

A rest centre has been established at the John Burns Centre in Kidwelly, where welfare arrangements are being made for those involved.

The scale of the incident led Dyfed-Powys Police to declare a major incident earlier in the day, with officers urging members of the public to avoid the area.

The A484 remains closed between the Kidwelly roundabout at Parc y Bocs and Llandyfaelog while emergency services continue their response and carry out investigations into the cause of the crash.

Police, ambulance and fire crews remain at the scene.

Motorists are being advised to find alternative routes and are warned that the road is expected to remain closed for a considerable time.

Emergency services have also issued advice for drivers caught in congestion during the hot weather, urging people to stay hydrated, keep vehicles ventilated and never leave children, vulnerable adults or pets inside parked vehicles.

The cause of the incident has not yet been confirmed.