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Housing officer Amanda raises £6,000 in brave Channel swim

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A WOMAN’S determination not to let a disability affect how she lives her life has culminated in her swimming the English Channel.

Thanks to 20 gruelling months of training, amazing support from her friends and family – and plenty of bara brith – Amanda Love completed the swim in August, raising more than £6,000 for charity in the process.

It was just five years after she underwent a full discectomy (the removal of a spinal disc) following years of back problems.

“The disc had gone through my spinal cord and wrapped itself around the nerves of my right leg,” said Amanda, a housing officer from Pembrokeshire County Council.

“Gradually it deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t walk as it was too painful.”

The operation to remove the disc took place in early 2014 and two years later Amanda knew she had recovered as much as she was going to. Although her back was much better, the damage to her nerves meant she was left with very little feeling in her right leg and foot and was unable to continue running.

Amanda admits it wasn’t an easy period of her life. “It takes some time to mentally and physically accept and become used to the ‘new normal’,” she said.

But after a discussion with friend, ultra-runner Julie Evans, she decided that her disability did not have to define her have to mean giving up things she loved – and so they entered Ironman Cozumel in Mexico. “I know it sounds mad,” she said. “But it was very important to try and do the things that make me me.”

With her competitive swimming background, she and Julie figured that her speed in the swim would give her enough time in the bank to allow her to walk the marathon and still finish within the timeframe allowed, with her left leg compensating for her right leg on the bike ride.

Completing the event was a huge turning point and spurred her on to contemplate swimming The Channel – which she’d had in the back of her mind for a while.

“I knew I would be turning fifty this year. There is a period when your children are grown up enough not to need you so much and your parents are well enough, when you have a bit more time to yourself, and a friend said to me if you don’t do it now you might never get another chance!” said Amanda.

To swim The Channel you have to complete a qualifying six-hour sea swim in temperatures of less than 16 degrees which Amanda completed in October 2018. She then embarked on 20 months of training, consisting of pool swimming at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, sea swimming, and strength and conditioning at Bfit Health and Fitness Facility in Milford Haven.

At least once each week, she would put in a long training day where she would get up at 4.30am and go to Bfit for a 45 minute strength and conditioning session before arriving at the pool at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre just after 6am, where she would swim for four to five hours (12 km).

“That was the winter training,” she said. “As the sea temperature warmed up, I did more sea swimming to get used to the cold because wetsuits are not allowed. Some of the longest training swims were six hour swims from Broad Haven, around Stack Rocks, across to the far end of Newgale and back to Broad Haven, about 12 miles in total and again the following day.”

Her friend Mel Miles, who works in education at Pembrokeshire County Council, would support Amanda’s sea swims by kayaking beside her, helping with the feeding regime and not least protecting her from curious sea-life.

“Without Mel the Channel swim wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “Mel would hold her paddle over me when the fulmars decided to divebomb me. The wildlife were very interested in me; a gull took a sandwich out my hand once and a seal followed me for about 45 minutes, every so often nudging the soles of my feet. Mel would also throw food and drink at me, so we could work out what I could stomach whilst swimming. Initially eating as I swam would make me quite sick but we worked out through trial and error what would provide the energy I needed for endurance swimming and was palatable in the sea.”

Amanda’s training swims also included a swim circumnavigating Ramsey Island with friend David Astins, a six hour endurance race in a lake in Reading and a 14 km swimming race in the river Thames, culminating in her final week of training which saw her A woman’s determination not to let a disability affect how she lives her life has culminated in her swimming the English Channel.

Thanks to 20 gruelling months of training, amazing support from her friends and family – and plenty of bara brith – Amanda Love completed the swim in August, raising more than £6,000 for charity in the process.

It was just five years after she underwent a full discectomy (the removal of a spinal disc) following years of back problems.

“The disc had gone through my spinal cord and wrapped itself around the nerves of my right leg,” said Amanda, a housing officer from Pembrokeshire County Council.

“Gradually it deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t walk as it was too painful.”

The operation to remove the disc took place in early 2014 and two years later Amanda knew she had recovered as much as she was going to. Although her back was much better, the damage to her nerves meant she was left with very little feeling in her right leg and foot and was unable to continue running.

Amanda admits it wasn’t an easy period of her life. “It takes some time to mentally and physically accept and become used to the ‘new normal’,” she said.

But after a discussion with friend, ultra-runner Julie Evans, she decided that her disability did not have to define her have to mean giving up things she loved – and so they entered Ironman Cozumel in Mexico. “I know it sounds mad,” she said. “But it was very important to try and do the things that make me me.”

With her competitive swimming background, she and Julie figured that her speed in the swim would give her enough time in the bank to allow her to walk the marathon and still finish within the timeframe allowed, with her left leg compensating for her right leg on the bike ride.

Completing the event was a huge turning point and spurred her on to contemplate swimming The Channel – which she’d had in the back of her mind for a while.

“I knew I would be turning fifty this year. There is a period when your children are grown up enough not to need you so much and your parents are well enough, when you have a bit more time to yourself, and a friend said to me if you don’t do it now you might never get another chance!” said Amanda.

To swim The Channel you have to complete a qualifying six-hour sea swim in temperatures of less than 16 degrees which Amanda completed in October 2018. She then embarked on 20 months of training, consisting of pool swimming at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, sea swimming, and strength and conditioning at Bfit Health and Fitness Facility in Milford Haven.

At least once each week, she would put in a long training day where she would get up at 4.30am and go to Bfit for a 45 minute strength and conditioning session before arriving at the pool at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre just after 6am, where she would swim for four to five hours (12 km).

“That was the winter training,” she said. “As the sea temperature warmed up, I did more sea swimming to get used to the cold because wetsuits are not allowed. Some of the longest training swims were six hour swims from Broad Haven, around Stack Rocks, across to the far end of Newgale and back to Broad Haven, about 12 miles in total and again the following day.”

Her friend Mel Miles, who works in education at Pembrokeshire County Council, would support Amanda’s sea swims by kayaking beside her, helping with the feeding regime and not least protecting her from curious sea-life.

“Without Mel the Channel swim wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “Mel would hold her paddle over me when the fulmars decided to divebomb me. The wildlife were very interested in me; a gull took a sandwich out my hand once and a seal followed me for about 45 minutes, every so often nudging the soles of my feet. Mel would also throw food and drink at me, so we could work out what I could stomach whilst swimming. Initially eating as I swam would make me quite sick but we worked out through trial and error what would provide the energy I needed for endurance swimming and was palatable in the sea.”

Amanda’s training swims also included a swim circumnavigating Ramsey Island with friend David Astins, a six hour endurance race in a lake in Reading and a 14 km swimming race in the river Thames, culminating in her final week of training which saw her

Crime

Police issue update following incident at Tenby multi-storey

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Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed this morning that they are investigating a collision on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park in Tenby, at around 4pm on Thursday, January 2.

The collision, police said, involved a grey Nissan Qashqai and a young child.

The child remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The family are being supported by specially trained officers.

One man, aged 33, has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving, drink driving, and drug driving. He remains in police custody.

Police issued a statement saying: “This is a tragic incident and is a live investigation.

“We ask that you do not speculate the circumstances and allow our officers to carry out their enquiries.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage that could help officers with their investigation is asked to report it to us, either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

Quote reference 25*6238”

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Milford sex offender’s child abuse images ‘most disturbing imaginable’

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A 40-YEAR-OLD man from Pembrokeshire has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after being found with nearly 40,000 indecent images of children, including some of the most disturbing nature imaginable. Jason Church, a father of young children, appeared at Swansea Crown Court where he faced multiple charges related to child exploitation.

The investigation began when police traced suspicious online activity linked to Church’s home in Milford Haven. On August 23, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at his residence, during which Church admitted to having incriminating material on his mobile phone. He explicitly stated to the police, “It’s on my phone, what you’re looking for” when questioned about the nature of the images.

Upon examination of his Samsung device, authorities uncovered a staggering collection: 2,688 images classified as Category A (the most severe), along with 4,160 Category B images and an alarming 32,205 Category C images. Among these horrific images were videos depicting the sexual abuse of very young children, including a baby. Additionally, officers discovered a 170-page manual that provided detailed guidance on how to exploit children and evade detection.

In court, prosecutor Ashanti-Jade Walton highlighted the graphic content of the material found and emphasised the seriousness of Church’s offences. Despite his previous clean record, Church pleaded guilty to all charges against him. His defence barrister noted that Church was aware of the severity of his actions and had sought help from organizations aimed at preventing child exploitation.

Judge Huw Rees condemned Church’s actions as “unhealthy” and a significant danger to children. He stated, “These are not just images; they represent real victims,” reinforcing the gravity of Church’s crimes and the impact they have on real lives.

In addition to his prison sentence, Church is required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years following his release.

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Community

Welsh Water distribute free cold weather lagging kits

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AS the winter season is in full swing and the temperature drops, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is offering free winter lagging kits to help households across Wales prepare for the colder months. With over 2,500 kits available, the initiative aims to assist residents in protecting their homes against frozen pipes and costly bursts.

Frozen pipes can lead to unwanted damage and unnecessary stress during the winter season, but with the right preparation the risks can be minimised.
The winter lagging kit includes pipe insulation and a tap jacket – with lagging designed to protect exposed pipes and a tap jacket to prevent outdoor taps from freezing and bursting.

“We understand how challenging winter can be for many people, which can be made worse should the unexpected happened – such as a experiencing a frozen or burst pipe,” said Euan Hampton, Water Demand – Delivery Manager at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. “To help ease the pressures winter can bring, we’re offering free pipe lagging kits and tap jackets as part of our ongoing commitment to helping communities stay safe, warm, and secure throughout the colder months.”

In addition to distributing free lagging kits and tap jackets. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water recommends the following tips to help residents prepare their homes:

Locate your stop tap: Knowing the location of your stop tap is essential in the case of an emergency. If your pipes freeze or burst, you’ll want to shut the water off to minimise damage.
Clear your gutters: Blocked gutters can lead to excess water accessing your home, especially during a storm.
Insulate pipes: Not only outdoor pipes need preparing, think of areas that may be at risk to cold weather – attics or uninsulated cupboards.
Fix those drips: Dripping taps can increase the risk of frozen pipes. Fixing it will also save you litres of water every day, saving both energy and money on your water bill.
Away from home? Empty buildings are at particular risk. If you’re leaving your home for a prolonged period, turn off your stop tap and drain down the system – so there is no water in the system to freeze. If you’re away for a short time, if you can, we suggest keeping your heating on low to help keep your home warm and prevent pipes from freezing.
The free kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a free winter lagging kit or tap jacket, customers can visit: www.dwrcymru.com/en/winter-ready

Alongside the helpful tips to prepare your home this winter and advice on how to manage any issues should they arise. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water are also offering free water efficiency home visits to all domestic customers – and the free lagging kit and tap jackets can be installed as part of the visit.

If you would like to find out more ways you could start saving, visit: www.dwrcymru.com/en/help-advice/cartref/water-efficiency-home-visit

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