News

Fort Hubberstone Sold

Published

4 years ago

October 8, 2020

A PEMBROKE DOCK town councillor exchanged contracts with Milford Haven Port Authority on Friday, September 25, to complete the purchase of Fort Hubberstone, which overlooks Gelliswick Bay and the Haven Waterway.
Guy Anderson, a project manager who designs electrical installations for major global construction projects, including football and Olympic stadia, spoke to The Herald about his plans for the iconic building.
The Fort is a Grade II* Listed Building and one of a number built along the Haven during the 1850s and 1860s. Together with Popton Fort on the opposite shore, it provided an interlocking field of fire and represented the last layer of defence before reaching the Royal Naval dockyard at Pembroke Dock.
“I grew up in Pembroke, I went to Pembroke School and Carmarthenshire College. When I was growing up, I used to walk around the area looking at the second world sites and the forts along the Haven.
“My work has taken me around the world, but this has always been my home. Every time I’ve come back to Pembrokeshire, I’ve always been frustrated to see so much of our local heritage locked up and inaccessible to people.”
We asked about the size of the challenge he faced and Guy Anderson told us: “I’m used to working on massive projects for stadia around the world. This is, if you think about it, just a small derelict stadium in need of TLC.
“I’m not rebuilding anything. The idea is to make the fort safe to work in first and then carry out work to make it safe for the public to come to as a ‘managed ruin’.
“I reckon rebuilding something like the fort would take a minimum of seven million pounds. You’d never get any sort of return on that. I plan to open the fort up to the public to allow them free access to its grounds, as far as can safely be done.
“Buildings like these are white elephants, the cost of redeveloping them is prohibitive. I’m not going to redevelop or rebuild. I am going to clear the site to provide the public with access to their heritage.
Mr Anderson told us that he plans to have the first part of the project open to the public in around two years.
“Covid’s thrown the timing a little off but I believe the nine gun casemates, the gun towers overlooking the Bay, can be cleared and made safe for people to get into in two years. We’ll put some explainers in and tables for people to sit and have a picnic and overlook the river. Ideally, we’d like schools to be able to visit and see the buildings and we’re going to preserve as much of the wildlife in the fort as we can.”
As for funding, Guy Anderson told us the project was being funded from his own resources and that any approach for public or heritage funding would depend on the future progress of the project and what sort of experience people wanted when they visited.
He said: “The casemates will take two years. It will take two years’ planning to put together how to deal with the upper fort, the large D-shaped structure that dominates the site. We won’t know until that is cleared what we have to work with and what will be possible. I’m optimistic that the condition is not as bad as people believe. I’m told its one of the five most endangered buildings in the country; I’d say I can find five buildings in worse condition in Pembrokeshire.”
Responding to the news the fort had been sold, local Town and County Councillor Viv Stoddart said: “I am delighted that the Fort now has a future and the plans will benefit the local community by allowing them to experience our heritage first hand.”

Crime

Police issue update following incident at Tenby multi-storey

Published

4 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Luke Sinclair

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”

News

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

Published

9 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Court Reporter

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.

Community

Welsh Water distribute free cold weather lagging kits

Published

10 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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