DYFED-POWYS POLICE is appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision on the A40 between Haverfordwest and Wolfcastle at approximately 9.10pm on Saturday, March 22.

The collision involved a pedestrian and a blue Vauxhall Astra between Days roundabout and Ridgeway filling station.

The pedestrian sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital where he remains in a stable but critical condition.

The road was closed from 9.25pm and re-opened just before 4am on Sunday, March 23.

Anyone with information that could help with the investigation, including anyone who was travelling along the road at the time with dashcam footage, is asked to report it via:

| https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline

| 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk

| 101

Quote reference: 348 of March 22.

CAMPAIGNERS from across west Wales are planning to lobby a meeting of the Dyfed Pension Fund Committee at County Hall, Carmarthen, this morning (Wednesday Mar 26).

Groups from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire under the banner of Solidarity with Palestine say they will hand in petitions as part of their ongoing campaign calling on the fund to divest from companies they claim are complicit in Israel’s war on Gaza and military actions in the West Bank.

Research by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), published in February, claims that Dyfed Pension Fund holds £235 million in investments in companies that “produce weapons and military technology used by Israel in its attacks on Palestinians; provide technology and equipment for Israel’s infrastructure of military occupation; or are active in illegal Israeli settlements based on stolen Palestinian land.”

Campaigners are calling on the committee to divest from all such companies.

The Herald understands that Solidarity with Palestine Pembrokeshire will be handing in a petition with more than 500 signatures, which was previously rejected by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Campaigners also cite a recent statement from UNICEF that said at least 200 children have been killed within four days of renewed Israeli bombing. According to them, hospitals in Gaza are so under-resourced that amputations and other emergency procedures are being carried out without anaesthetic or pain relief.

They say that since March 18, at least 673 people have been killed in Gaza, including 200 children.

NEIL THOMAS thought testicular cancer was something that happened later in life — until he was diagnosed at 35.

In April 2019, Neil, who was working as a teacher in Doha, Qatar, rolled over in bed after a long day at work and felt something unusual. A self-check revealed a hard lump in one of his testicles.

The next morning, the now 41-year-old from Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire, spoke to his wife Zoe, who urged him to see a doctor. An ultrasound confirmed the tumour and within a week he was in surgery to remove his left testicle.

“It was all very quick,” Neil told The Herald. “The biopsy showed it was a fast-growing cell type, so they gave me two rounds of chemotherapy as well. It was a traumatic time — for me, my wife and my family. Those first four weeks were particularly hard. I was constantly worried and struggled to process what was happening.”

Neil credits his mum — a breast cancer survivor — with encouraging him and his brother to regularly check themselves. That habit may have saved his life.

“I didn’t realise testicular cancer mainly affects younger men,” he said. “In my head, cancer was something for older people. I would advise anyone with concerns to get checked out straight away. Catching it early meant it could be treated fast and stopped from spreading.”

His experience reflects a wider lack of awareness among young men. A recent Movember survey found that 61% of men aged 16 to 40 didn’t know their age group was at risk of testicular cancer — which is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men aged 15 to 39 globally.

Despite the importance of early detection, the survey found that:

• 17% of young men feel unsure how to check their testicles
• 26% feel very confident
• 51% feel somewhat confident
• 5% have no idea at all

Worryingly, 15% of young men never check themselves, and only 20% do so once a month.

When asked why they might not go to a doctor after finding something unusual, 18% said they would be afraid it was something serious, 23% said they wouldn’t go unless there was pain, and 22% would wait until it got “really serious.” Still, 67% said they would make a doctor’s appointment if something didn’t feel normal.

This April, during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, the global men’s health charity Movember is encouraging men to “Know Thy Nuts” — a campaign aimed at helping men get familiar with what’s normal and what to do if something feels off.

A recent survey by the charity found that 84% of men who visited Movember’s testicular health guide felt more confident performing self-checks afterwards.

Professor Simon Rice, Global Director of the Movember Institute of Men’s Health, said: “Testicular Cancer Awareness Month is about taking control of your health. The simplest action young men can take is to get to know their nuts. That way, if they notice any changes, they can see a doctor. When caught early, testicular cancer is highly treatable.”

Movember is urging men to take a few minutes this month to check themselves, learn what’s normal, and encourage others to do the same. Visit the Know Thy Nuts website to find out more.

The Herald understands that 70 men died of testicular cancer in the UK in 2019 — an average of nearly six each month. That year, the death rate was 0.2 per 100,000 men.

Movember has invested in more than 25 testicular cancer projects worldwide and has also developed its Nuts & Bolts support hub, co-designed with survivors to offer advice, resources and a sense of community.