News

Hundreds of dolphins spotted off the Pembrokeshire Coast in unbelievable footage

Published

4 years ago

February 1, 2022

Cerys Lafferty

Hundreds of dolphins spotted in Pembrokeshire. Credit - Lloyd Nelmes.

A HUGE pod of dolphins have been caught on camera just off the coast of Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire.

Lloyd Nelmes and his girlfriend captured footage of up to 500 dolphins while on a boat ride on January 25.

The video captured by the couple show the playful dolphins getting up close to the boat, and “bowriding” – which is when marine wildlife position themselves to be pushed forward by the circulating water caused by boats.

Sharing his experience on Facebook, Lloyd wrote: “The dolphins were very keen to bowride at any opportunity, with almost 10 individuals at some points under our tiny boat,

“The Stena then came in and they went over to it, bow riding and using the energy from the ship to jump what looked like almost the height of half the ship! Amazing to see!

Dolphins swimming alongside the boat. Credit – Lloyd Nelmes.

“They were chasing mackerel I think, pushed a few to the surface and managed to catch a few for myself too.”

Lloyd described the feeling as though the dolphins were ready and waiting for him and his girlfriend as they took the trip. He also shared that he saw five porpoises near Pen Anglas as well.

He said: “The common dolphins came to us, bow riding, jumping around us, it was as if they were waiting for us and wanted to play. They were everywhere, jumping around us, around 10 bow riding under our small boat!

“It was really exciting and amazing to see, the younger ones really do love to play around and jump.”

Hundreds of dolphins spotted in Pembrokeshire. Credit – Lloyd Nelmes.

Spotting cetaceans such as dolphins, whales and porpoises at sea can be an exciting experience, but Sea Trust reminds anyone hoping to catch a glimpse themselves to adhere to the following advice and local marine codes:

Keep your distance. Remain 100m away (200m if another boat is in the area).
Never drive head on to, or move between, scatter or separate dolphins. If unsure of their movements, simply stop and put the engine into neutral.
Never chase, drive directly towards or encircle them. Always allow an escape route.
Let them approach you. On many occasions dolphins will bow-ride your boat, make sure you maintain a steady speed and course.
Take extra special care when around young animals. The smallest disturbance risks disrupting mother-calf bonds and may expose inexperienced young to stress and possible boat strikes.
Move away slowly if you notice any signs of disturbance or avoidance behaviours.
Please remember, not only do boats pose a threat of injury to the animal from collisions or propeller strikes. The noise produced by engines can disrupt their daily behaviours including their ability to communicate with each other which is essential when navigating underwater.

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

2 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced a significant expansion of its Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Teams (NPPT), with more officers being deployed to frontline roles where demand is greatest.

From Monday (Mar 16), teams across the force area have been strengthened, with a renewed focus on tackling antisocial behaviour and preventing crime at its source.

The force says the move is aimed at reducing repeat demand by addressing the root causes of offending, rather than simply responding to incidents.

To achieve this, a number of officers have been redeployed from central departments back into frontline policing, while new posts are also being created to bolster capacity.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Davies, head of uniform policing, said: “These changes are about increasing frontline visibility and ensuring we have the right resources in the right places.

“They form part of a wider programme of improvements across the force to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, while also supporting the wellbeing of our officers and staff.

“This is positive news for our communities, who will benefit from stronger neighbourhood teams focused on local priorities and proactive policing.”

The expansion has been made possible through Home Office funding under the Neighbourhood Guarantee scheme, which is designed to strengthen community safety and crime prevention.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been allocated £1.4 million for 2025/26, enabling the recruitment of police staff and freeing up officers previously in support roles to return to operational duties.

As a result, four sergeants and 29 police officers have now been reassigned to neighbourhood teams across the force.

Each NPPT area will also have a named officer, with full team details available via the ‘Your Area’ section of the Dyfed-Powys Police website.

The force has also secured early access to 2026/27 Neighbourhood Guarantee funding, which will see a further 12 officers recruited between April and the autumn—adding to overall officer numbers in the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Neighbourhood policing is about more than numbers—it’s about relationships.

“Greater visibility helps build trust, strengthens community ties, and reassures the public that policing is present, responsive, and committed to keeping people safe.

“I remain committed to improving police visibility across our communities, and these additional officers will help turn that ambition into reality.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

2 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.