News
West Wales Thresher Shark: Remarkable sighting of a remarkable animal!
IN A BREATHTAKING spectacle, a thresher shark soared above the waves at New Quay, Ceredigion, barely metres from an enthralled group on a boat trip. Thresher sharks, currently categorised as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, are a rare sight in the wild.
For Joshua Pedley, a revered local wildlife guide and photographer often dubbed ‘The Wildlife Man’, this was a first. Despite having spent half a decade conducting wildlife tours off New Quay, he was struck by the shark’s majestic size and elegance.
Unveiling the snapshot on the Ceredigion Birds and Wildlife Facebook group, The Wildlife Man said: “Hold The Front Page! Today, (Aug 18) around 2:15 pm during our boat expedition, we were graced by the presence of a colossally impressive thresher shark. Such a creature stands as a testament to the marvel of aquatic engineering. Boasting a tail equal to its body length, it’s not just immense, but an absolute vision. Our estimates place it between five and six metres in length.” For riveting news delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
Joshua, who graciously allowed the use of his photograph for this piece, relayed to The Pembrokeshire Herald: “In all my years navigating these waters, I’ve never laid eyes on a Thresher Shark. It’s an extraordinarily rare sight. You truly have to be fortuitously positioned to witness it. Though rare, it’s not unprecedented!”
The 28-year-old naturalist guides for SeaMôr Dolphin Watching Boat Trips, which orchestrates frequent wildlife excursions off New Quay. On that fateful Friday, during the 1.35 pm dolphin-watching tour, Joshua and his passengers were treated to the thresher’s acrobatics, watching it breach the ocean surface thrice.
“A truly remarkable sighting of a truly remarkable animal! It breached three times in total, the initial breach caught my attention and then the photograph I managed was from one of the following two breaches,” he said. “Very lucky to find ourselves in the right place at the right time!”
Joshua added that thresher sharks are “completely harmless” to humans. “They feed on fish and squids and use their extremely long tail as a whip to stun, if not slice, their prey. We estimate that this specific individual that we saw was probably between five to six metres long with them on average maxing out at about six metres in length,” he said.
“I get asked multiple times a day on our boat trips, ‘do we get any sharks here?’ – well yes is the answer, but normally only some of the smaller shark species like Catsharks. Every now and then though you will get lucky and sight a larger shark as they are out there. Not a cause for panic or hysteria, but a wonderful sign to show how healthy and rich with wildlife our local waters actually are.”
You can keep up to date with The Wildlife Man’s wildlife sightings off New Quay on Facebook.
Business
First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead
THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.
The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.
A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.
Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.
“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”
The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.
Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.
The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.
A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.
Photo: Martin Cavaney
Crime
Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood
A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.
SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST
Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.
The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.
COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION
Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.
Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.
She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.
The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.
Local Government
Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works
Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure
SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.
County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.
“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.
Urgent works underway
Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.
Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.
Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.
Further updates are expected later this week.
-
Crime2 days agoDefendant denies using Sudocrem-covered finger to assault two-month-old baby
-
Crime1 day agoPembroke rape investigation dropped – one suspect now facing deportation
-
Crime6 days agoMan denies causing baby’s injuries as police interviews read to jury
-
News1 day agoBaby C trial: Mother breaks down in tears in the witness box
-
Crime2 days agoLifeboat crew member forced to stand down after being assaulted at Milford pub
-
Crime2 days agoDefendant denies causing injuries to two-month-old baby
-
Crime2 days agoPembrokeshire haven master admits endangering life after speedboat collision
-
Crime8 hours agoMother admits “terrible idea” to let new partner change her baby’s nappies alone







