Lorry seen on wrong side of road before multi-force stop

A DISQUALIFIED driver has been charged after an HGV was reportedly driven erratically along the A40 between Narberth and St Clears in the early hours of Thursday (Jan 29).

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that 22-year-old Tajinder Singh, of Tudor Road, Southall, has been charged with driving whilst disqualified and using a motor vehicle on a road without insurance.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court today (Friday, Jan 30).

The incident began when an off-duty police officer reported seeing the heavy goods vehicle being driven on the wrong side of the carriageway on multiple occasions, raising serious concerns for the safety of other road users.

Roads Policing Unit officers carried out immediate checks and traced the vehicle travelling eastbound along the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands.

Specialist Tactical Pursuit and Containment (TPAC) tactics were authorised, with support requested from South Wales Police and the National Police Air Service due to the scale of the risk and the vehicle’s route.

The lorry was kept under constant observation as it continued along the A48 and onto the M4 before eventually stopping at an industrial estate in the Fforestfach area of Swansea.

Officers detained the driver at the scene. The vehicle was seized under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said officers will continue to take action against dangerous driving.

Anyone with concerns about unsafe or reckless driving is urged to report it to police.

Police say suspect known to victim as attempted murder investigation continues

A MAJOR police manhunt is under way after a woman was seriously injured in a stabbing at Carmarthen Park on Thursday afternoon (Jan 29).

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed the incident is being treated as attempted murder and officers are searching for a named male suspect who is known to the victim.

Emergency services were called to the popular town park shortly after 4:00pm, where the woman was found with stab wounds to her torso and hand. She was taken to hospital for treatment and is understood to be in a stable condition.

The attack happened in broad daylight in one of the town’s busiest public spaces, a park regularly used by families, joggers and visitors from across west Wales, including Pembrokeshire.

Officers say the assault was not random.

Detective Superintendent Anthony Evans, who is leading the investigation, said: “I wish to assure the local community that our officers are following all possible lines of enquiry to locate and arrest the suspect as quickly as possible.

“You will continue to see police in the areas around Picton Terrace, Carmarthen Park and other addresses as we investigate this appalling incident.

“Our enquiries so far have led us to understand that this was not a random attack, and that the suspect and victim were known to each other.”

Police activity remained visible on Friday (Jan 30), with cordons in place around parts of the park and nearby Picton Terrace. Specialist officers have been carrying out house-to-house enquiries and reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding area.

Residents reported an increased police presence throughout the day.

One local told The Herald: “It’s frightening to think something like this can happen here in the middle of the afternoon. It’s usually such a safe place.”

Although Carmarthenshire generally records lower crime levels than larger Welsh cities, incidents involving knives continue to be a concern for police across the region. Dyfed-Powys Police has repeatedly urged the public to report concerns early to help prevent serious violence.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

Police are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in Carmarthen Park around 4:00pm on Thursday or who may have seen someone acting suspiciously or leaving the area quickly.

Information can be provided by calling 101, emailing [email protected], or contacting Dyfed-Powys Police via social media. Anonymous reports can be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Anyone affected by the incident can seek support through Victim Support Cymru or other local services.

The Herald will provide updates as the investigation develops.

Environment watchdog says Wales is at a “critical tipping point” as nature declines faster than it can recover

SALMON could disappear from some Welsh rivers within the next five years, according to a stark new assessment of the nation’s environment.

The warning comes in the State of Natural Resources Report 2025, published by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which concludes that Wales is degrading its natural resources more quickly than they can be replenished.

NRW says nearly one in five species in Wales is now at risk of extinction, with freshwater ecosystems among the most pressured. Atlantic salmon, already in long-term decline, are highlighted as being particularly vulnerable, with some river systems potentially losing the species altogether by 2030 if current trends continue.

The report describes the environment as being under “sustained and intensifying pressure”, driven by the combined effects of climate change, pollution, habitat loss and unsustainable land use. It also states that Wales is consuming more than its fair share of global natural resources, placing further strain on already fragile ecosystems.

One of the most concerning findings is that there has been no overall improvement in the resilience of Wales’ freshwater environments since 2020. Only around 40 per cent of water bodies are currently achieving what is classified as “good status”, while fish populations and river habitats continue to deteriorate.

Speaking after the report’s publication, NRW chair Neil Sachdev said restoring nature could not be left to environmental bodies alone.

“Our report shows that restoring nature is a whole-society challenge,” he said. “It demands collective ownership across public bodies, businesses, communities and citizens.

“This is not just a warning about our future; it is a reckoning with our present. If we act now, with urgency and shared ownership, Wales can lead not just in ambition, but by delivering the scale of transformation the nation needs.”

The report argues that avoiding a deepening environmental and climate crisis will require fundamental changes to how people live, including how homes are heated, how food is produced and consumed, how people travel, and how land is managed.

Despite the bleak assessment, NRW notes that some progress has been made since its previous major report six years ago. Peatland restoration projects, tighter air-quality legislation, the Sustainable Farming Scheme and the Wales Metal Mines Programme are cited as targeted interventions beginning to address long-standing problems.

Commenting on the findings, Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, warned that environmental failure would hit the poorest communities hardest.

“Nature is one of our most powerful allies – preventing flooding, reducing pollution and protecting our health,” he said. “Without urgent, coordinated action to halt and reverse this decline, we are quite literally putting lives at risk unnecessarily.”

He pointed to nature-based solutions already being used in Wales, from urban green roofs to seagrass restoration, and said every part of the public sector needed to play a role in unlocking their potential.

Responding on behalf of the Welsh Government, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said the report would play a key role in shaping future policy.

“Protecting and enhancing nature is essential for people today and for future generations,” he said. “Wales has made real progress, but we need to go further again.

“This report sets out how we can work together to restore nature, tackle pollution and build resilience to climate change. The Welsh Government will lead this work alongside partners across the public sector, business and communities to turn evidence into meaningful action.”

For rivers across West Wales, including those once famed for their salmon runs, the report makes clear that time is now a critical factor — with decisive action needed if iconic species are to be saved from disappearing altogether.