RAPUNZEL, Prince Nathaniel of Neyland, Mother Gothel, Zephyr the Puffin, Periwinkle and Belinda Beehive brought the Torch Theatre stage to life over the festive period with the hair-larious, zany pantomime Rapunzel.

The professional cast, featuring plenty of local talent, delivered a high-energy production that delighted audiences of all ages from across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Following the sell-out success of Beauty and the Beast and the hugely popular Jack and the Beanstalk in recent years, Torch Theatre Artistic Director Chelsey Gillard was once again praised for her latest production.

Torch Theatre community reviewers Val Ruloff and Liam Dearden said: “The script was buzzing with the humming sound of a swarm of jokes flying in thick and fast, bubbling to overflow (much like Periwinkle the Sea Sprite) and bursting with energy.”

They added: “The musical score by James Williams is superb. It is such a privilege to have original music composed especially for the Torch pantomime. The numbers brought the whole production to life all over again, just as did the costumes, sets, props, lighting and special effects.

“The music, in combination with the scenes and sets, gave rise to some great set pieces and double acts, including the fabulous Bay Wash pop/rock group in the making, featuring the vocal talents, phantom guitar and drum-playing skills of Prince Nathaniel of Neyland and Dame Belinda Beehive.”

Chelsey Gillard said: “It was uplifting seeing so many of you coming to see Rapunzel – from schools to families. We had more entries than ever into our design competition – over 400 – and we loved coming along on the Milford Lantern Parade.

“The whole company enjoyed having your help on their undersea adventure; booing, hissing, singing and dancing along.”

More than 3,000 school children from across Pembrokeshire saw the pantomime, with six schools successfully securing financial support to attend through the Arts Council of Wales Go and See Fund.

Tim Howe, Senior Manager for Youth and Community at the Torch, said: “We were thrilled to see our auditorium filled with so many young people this Christmas. We know that pantomime is often the first spark of theatrical magic for a young person.

“We are grateful to the Arts Council for recognising the important role we play in introducing young people to the arts and helping to make these visits possible. Our commitment to these students continues beyond the curtain call, as every school receives a dedicated resource pack to bring the themes of the panto to life in the classroom. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.”

With the festive curtain now closed, plans are already well under way for the Torch’s 2026 pantomime, Puss in Boots, featuring a whisker of Western adventure.

Audiences are invited to brush up on their line-dancing moves as Puss helps our heroes find fame and fur-tune in Wild West Wales.

An Early Bird offer is currently available for the brand-new pantomime, which promises original songs, hiss-terical humour and plenty of local references.

A Relaxed Environment Performance will take place on Saturday, December 19, at 2:00pm, with a BSL Interpreted Performance on Tuesday, December 22, at 6:00pm.

For more information or to book tickets, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contact the Box Office on (01646) 695267.

First episode of The Truth About My Murder examines the 1996 Wentwood Forest killing of Tyrone France and the painstaking forensic work that helped identify him and secure justice

BBC WALES’ new true-crime series The Truth About My Murder begins on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with an opening episode titled Bones in the Forest.

The programme is fronted by world-renowned forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd, who uses pathology and modern forensic techniques to show how evidence found on a victim’s body can separate fact from fiction – and help police catch a killer. The series combines Shepherd’s analysis with testimony from detectives and the families left behind.

In the first episode, Shepherd revisits the 1996 murder of Tyrone France, a Newport man whose remains were discovered at Wentwood Forest, near Newport, south Wales.

Gwent Police were alerted to what was left of a fire at the crime scene. Officers found teeth, 343 small fragments of bone, and spent bullets. With so little intact, forensic investigators faced an extraordinary challenge: the fragments needed to be painstakingly examined and reconstructed in the pathology lab in the hope of identifying who the victim was.

Many of the pieces were from the body’s largest bone – the femur – and by piecing the fragments together through a complex process, pathologists were able to give police their first meaningful lead: an estimate of the victim’s approximate height.

A public appeal followed, prompting a breakthrough which led police to a name – Tyrone France, who had recently been reported missing.

The investigation then focused on Jason Preece, who came forward claiming to have been the last person to see Tyrone alive. As inconsistencies emerged, Preece offered a new account – describing a planned drug deal, an unexpected shooting, and the alleged involvement of two other men, Simon Spring and Dylan Watcyns.

At trial, the programme says, pathology played a central role in testing those accounts – including evidence about how Tyrone was shot, what happened next, and which version of events the forensic findings supported. The outcome, the episode claims, shocked police, journalists and local residents, and devastated Tyrone’s family, who remember him as their smiling “Baby Bear”.

The Truth About My Murder: Bones in the Forest airs on BBC Wales on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 10.40pm to 11.20pm.

RISING soul star Olivia Dean has revealed how a quiet camping trip in Pembrokeshire turned into the call of a lifetime after she received a FaceTime from music legend Sir Elton John.

The 26-year-old singer told BBC’s The Graham Norton Show that she was cooking “sausages and beans” on a small gas stove when her phone rang and Sir Elton’s name appeared on the screen.

Dean said her team had warned her the star might get in touch, but she panicked when the moment arrived and initially declined the video call.

“It rang and it was a FaceTime and I said ‘no – I’m not ready’,” she told the audience, as the studio erupted with laughter.

Realising what she had done, Dean said she immediately regretted it and feared she had missed her chance — but Sir Elton called back moments later.

The Your Song hitmaker then offered words of encouragement, telling her he was proud of her and that it looked like she had worked hard and was “ready now”.

Dean said she managed a quick thank you before collapsing on the ground “like a starfish”.

The light-hearted story has once again shone a spotlight on Pembrokeshire’s reputation as a place to switch off and recharge, with its beaches, coastal paths and campsites offering a peaceful escape from busy city life.

Dean, who is London-born and has Jamaican-Guyanese heritage, has previously spoken fondly about the county’s coastline and the appeal of getting away from the spotlight.

Her surprise call from Sir Elton also reflects his well-known habit of supporting fellow artists, with host Graham Norton joking that the music icon “loves the phone” during the segment.

A short clip of the moment has since been shared online, with viewers praising both Dean’s down-to-earth reaction and the county she chose for her downtime.