NEYLAND will welcome Father Christmas on Friday 19 December as the town’s annual sleigh tour and Christmas grotto return, organised by Neyland Town Council with support from Gareth Hughes Motors.

The Christmas Fairy announced the event on social media with the seasonal message: “It’s tiiiiiiimmmmmmeeee! I hope you’ve all been good… come and meet the big man himself. You might even get a little treat if you’re on Santa’s good list. We can’t wait to see you all there.”

Santa will begin his sleigh ride around Neyland at 5:30pm, with the elves from Gareth Hughes Motors escorting him through several of the town’s residential streets. The planned route will take in Rose and Willow at 5:30pm, Springfield Avenue, the entrance to Gordon Parry, the Forresters, Policeman’s Bank, the Yacht Club area, and Riverside Avenue by the cenotaph.

The sleigh will then arrive at Neyland Community Hub at 6:30pm, where Santa’s Grotto will open for families to visit. Hot festive food will be available to buy from The Hub’s kitchen throughout the evening.

The event is free to attend, with the Town Council encouraging as many families as possible to come along and enjoy the festivities.

THE SENIOR Coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire has said he will write to the South Wales Trunk Road Agency and Carmarthenshire Council to request further road markings on the A48, following the inquest into the tragic death of Swansea solicitor Emily Thornton-Sandy.

His action follows the devastating collision in which Emily died after another driver travelled the wrong way down the dual carriageway. The coroner recorded a conclusion of Road Traffic Collision.

Emily, from Pontarddulais, had been travelling home from a veterinary appointment at around midday on 5 November 2024 when the collision occurred between Pont Abraham and Cross Hands.

Her dog, Scout, sadly died shortly afterwards. Emily was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff but died six days later from catastrophic injuries. The collision involved two other vehicles.

At the inquest on 3 December 2025 at Llanelli Town Hall, Senior Coroner Paul Bennett said a 90-year-old driver had pulled out of a junction on the eastbound side of the A48 near Cross Hands, leaving Emily no time to react. Two other vehicles were also struck in the tragic sequence of events.

Evidence from Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that the road was in good condition, the weather was dry and overcast, visibility was clear, and the junction already had a sign instructing drivers to turn left. No emergency braking marks were found, and both drivers were wearing seatbelts.

The inquest also heard that the driver who caused the collision had been seen by a medic at his home two days earlier after experiencing a sudden loss of consciousness. He was assessed following the episode but, the court heard, there had been no medical instruction or clear indication at that time that he should not continue driving.

In light of the evidence, the coroner confirmed he will raise concerns with the South Wales Trunk Road Agency and Carmarthenshire Council about the junction from which the other driver exited moments before the fatal crash.

Emily’s family have welcomed the decision, hoping it will draw attention to long-standing safety concerns on a stretch of road where Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 169 crashes in just 12 months. However, they remain gravely concerned that further markings alone will not prevent future incidents, given that clear signage is already in place.*

Emily’s family have described her as intelligent, kind and compassionate, devoted to her work supporting people affected by asbestos exposure, and passionate about literature and houseplants. Three people benefited from organ donation following her heartbreaking death.

During the inquest, where the family were represented by Thompsons Solicitors, statements from Emily’s husband and parents were read out.

Her husband, Stuart, said he would do all he could to prevent other families suffering similar loss. He said: “Nobody should have to see their wife as I saw Emily in hospital. Emily lost her life and I lost my future. I never envisaged living my life without her. I felt like I lost purpose when I lost Emily and Scout.”

Emily’s parents described her death as an avoidable tragedy and urged people to speak up if they have concerns about the driving ability of an elderly relative, in the hope that it may prevent another family enduring such unbearable grief.

Helen Shakespeare, Partner at Thompsons Solicitors and the family’s legal representative, said: “Emily’s death was devastating to all who knew and loved her. The inquest has shown that what happened was entirely avoidable.

“The family therefore welcome the coroner’s decision to raise concerns with the highways authorities, but they remain deeply worried that more meaningful action is needed to address the wider safety issues on a road where so many serious incidents have occurred.”

Brother says 51-year-old Robert is “wasting away in agony” while their 80-year-old mother struggles to cope

SAMUEL KURTZ MS has intervened in the case of a Pembroke family who say they have been left “abandoned” by the Welsh NHS, after a severely disabled man waited two years for essential dental treatment.

Mr Kurtz confirmed that his office has been in contact with the family since the end of last week, and that he will raise their concerns with the Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board at the earliest possible opportunity.

The case centres on 51-year-old Robert, who is disabled, non-verbal and relies entirely on his mother for his day-to-day care. According to the family, Robert has suffered severe dental pain for two years, during which time he has been unable to eat properly and has experienced rapid weight loss.

His brother, Alfie Probert, highlighted the situation in an emotional Facebook post that has been widely shared in Pembrokeshire. Alfie said Robert had once been a healthy sixteen stone but is now “wasting away” while the family waits for specialist treatment.

He also described the strain on their mother, who is eighty, unwell herself and caring for Robert around the clock. “We feel completely abandoned,” he wrote. “This isn’t just a backlog. This is cruelty. This is negligence. This is destroying people’s lives.”

The post has prompted a strong local reaction, with many residents tagging Samuel Kurtz and calling for urgent action.

Mr Kurtz said he shared the public’s concerns and would be seeking answers from ministers and Hywel Dda UHB as to how such a long delay could be allowed to develop for a vulnerable adult.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has been approached for comment.