News

Baby unit closes – Carmarthen ‘cannot cope’

Published

10 years ago

September 2, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Twins: Mum Bianca with her newborns

WITHYBUSH baby unit has been closed for less than a week, despite a long campaign to save the essential service that the Welsh Government deemed unnecessary for Pembrokeshire.

Already Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital has proved it is unable to cope with its new responsibilities as a Pembrokeshire baby is diverted from there to Swansea’s hospital, adding significant and potentially life threatening time on to the wait for specialist care. The baby unit, which closed on August 4, has been a stalwart of essential services for our county since the late seventies. There are many stories of lives it has saved over the years, history that has now come to an end.

The Herald has learnt that already the new history being written by the diversion of this service to Glangwili has begun with a story that could have ended in tragedy. Speaking about an alarming incident this week was parent Martin McGeown: “We went to Withybush on Friday, August 1 for a scan. We were told that one of the twins, the boy, had a problem as his blood flow from the placenta was reduced. We then saw a doctor in Withybush who said we had to go to another hospital to be monitored which should have been Carmarthen, which wasn’t ready.

The closest hospital with a bed was Singleton Hospital in Swansea, but they had no cots, so the nearest hospital then was in Bridgend. I asked if Withybush would take us by ambulance but we were told no, we would have to take her by car. “Whilst it was not an emergency, because she wasn’t actually in labour, they wouldn’t take her by ambulance. We got to Bridgend two and a half hours later. On the maternity ward she had to be monitored 2-3 times a day. I begged the midwives in Bridgend to please transfer my wife Bianca to Swansea.

“They were excellent in Bridgend and they could all see how upset we were, so the midwife begged Singleton on behalf of me to take us in. She got us a bed because someone had left, and purely by chance as the hospital was full. I had to sign my wife out of hospital in order to get to Swansea which was at 12 o’clock at night. She had a C-section on Tuesday, August 5.” He went on to describe how he felt about what had happened and the implication this had for future births in Pembrokeshire: “A Pembrokeshire family is now distraught over what happened to them.

How are people supposed to get to Carmarthen? We were even told that if Bridgend was closed to us, and a bed wasn’t available, we would have to go to Birmingham hospital! It is unbelievable. My son will be in intensive care for another two weeks”. Bianca McGeown added to her husband’s concerns, stating: “The problem was that the twins could have been split up as a result of all this travelling to and from different hospitals. It was a real shock as we expected Carmarthen to be up and running.

Who wants to be driving up and down the motorway panicking, about where they are delivering a baby that will need help. What if someone didn’t have a car – how would they get there? Especially with no ambulance provision, even though I needed a C-section as it turned out”. She finished by commenting on the baby unit’s closure in Withybush: “It’s a shambles and it’s also really sad. In Pembrokeshire we are cut off: what about in the winter in bad weather and getting to Carmarthenshire safely? For people who are in labour, and not straight forward labour, I dread to think what could happen.”

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”