News
Where’s Wally: Has Tenby Walrus disappeared for a quiet life?
TENBY’S most famous visitor, Wally The Walrus, has disappeared after being repeatedly disturbed by members of the public getting too close to him on the slipway to Tenby’s Lifeboat Station.
Last spotted at around 7am on Bank Holiday Monday, the Arctic Walrus was the subject of intense interest for many people, local and visitor alike.
Sadly, neither locals nor visitors heeded advice given by experts and continually got too close to the Walrus who, it seems, got ‘spooked’ and has departed our shores for good.
A statement issued at the weekend by British Divers Marine Life Rescue, Tenby harbour master Chris Salisbury, the RSPCA, Tenby lifeboat coxswain Phil John, CSIP Marine Environmental Rescue, Welsh Marine Life Rescue, and Natural Resources Wales, warned us all that it was in Wally’s “best interests to be left alone as much as possible” and implored people to “avoid the temptation to get near to him and disturb him”.
The joint statement they released also mentioned that they were “concerned” to hear that members of the public had “tried to get close to him by using personal watercraft or paddle and surfboards”.
Unable to help themselves, people were repeatedly seen ignoring advice and getting far too close to him, something that Terry Leadbetter, co-ordinator at Welsh Marine Life Rescue believes Wally would’ve been aware of.
“There’s been all sorts of boats, watercraft, jet-skis, paddleboards, canoes, dinghies, yachts, all sailing across the areas where he normally feeds.” Said Terry “I believe the harbour master put signs up saying to avoid that particular area.
“People have been travelling across the border from places like Leeds and Essex just to see him.
“He was last seen at 7am on Monday morning at the lifeboat station and has not been seen since. There have been boats trying to find him but where he’s gone, we don’t know.
“The poor thing has had eyes on him the whole time and he’s had a lot of disturbance while he’s been there.
“His only haul out was the lifeboat station. They go out and feed and then come in and try to sleep but if they can’t get sleep then that to me is a disturbance.
“Now he’s gone and whether it’s because he’s exhausted his food supply, I don’t know. He’s only about half his weight at about 500kg so he’s probably going to grow to around 1,200kg.”
Whatever you believe, all we know is that Wally hasn’t been seen in 3 days now and even boats that have gone out looking for him haven’t found a sign of the wandering Walrus who was also seen off the coast of Kerry in the Republic of Ireland before taking up residency at Tenby.
News
Major traffic jams following accident on M4 near Swansea
A ROAD traffic accident has closed the M4 in both directions as of Tuesday morning (Mar 19).
Police, paramedics and the fire service were called to the scene of the crash on the eastbound carriageway between Pont Abraham and Hendy at 23:20 GMT on Monday.
A fire which had broken out was extinguished before they arrived.
The motorway remains closed in both directions between J48 and J49.
The affected section is between junction 49 Pont Abraham and junction 48 Hendy, Llanelli, in Carmarthenshire.
As of 8.30am there were 45-minute delays with Traffic Wales saying: “Road continues to remain closed.
https://x.com/DyfedPowys/status/1769963608048378117
“Busy in the area delays showing as approximately 45 minutes in the surrounding areas. Please allow additional time for travel and thank you for your patience.”
Traffic monitors are showing there is already slow traffic in the area and congestion.
There are delays on surrounding routes in the area and on the A48.
News
Dredging work set for Tenby Harbour
TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery from Tuesday March 26 th to Friday 29 th as dredging work is carried out.
Sand will removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.
Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging had been issued after several months of application work.
“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for securing the licence for this work to go ahead. This dredging is essential
for the operation of Tenby Harbour.
“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the
water.”
News
Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash
THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.
Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.
The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.
Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.
Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”
The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.
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