Former councillor died aged 85 after passing away peacefully at Withybush Hospital

COUNCILLOR Mike Stoddart’s funeral will take place on Tuesday, February 3 at 2.30pm, it has been confirmed.

Mr Stoddart, of Liddeston, Milford Haven, died peacefully at Withybush General Hospital on Sunday, January 4, aged 85, with his family by his side.

A celebration of his life will be held at Parc Gwyn Crematorium in Narberth, followed by refreshments at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Milford Haven.

Family and friends are welcome to attend.

Family flowers only have been requested. Donations in memory of Mr Stoddart will support Hubberston & Hakin Community Centre.

Arrangements are being handled by Tom Newing & Sons Ltd, Funeral Directors, Milford Haven.

A CO-ORDINATED land search involving police and local volunteers is taking place today (Thursday, Jan 8) as efforts continue to locate a man who entered the River Teifi in the early hours of Sunday (Jan 4).

The man, named locally as 29-year-old Kurtis Brook, was last seen shortly after 5:15am on Sunday near a buoy close to Cardigan’s new bridge. Emergency services were alerted and a large-scale search operation was launched soon afterwards.

Since then, teams from Dyfed-Powys Police have led extensive searches along the river and surrounding areas, supported by specialist resources including drones, search dogs, a marine unit, and the RNLI and HM Coastguard. Despite several days of intensive activity, Kurtis has not yet been found.

On Wednesday, friends and local volunteers also took part in searches on the water using small boats, working both downstream towards Patch and upstream along the upper reaches of the Teifi. Police have continued to coordinate these efforts to ensure safety and avoid duplication.

Today’s land search is being organised alongside police, with volunteers asked to gather at Cardigan Police Station at 10:00am. From there, participants are being allocated specific search areas before heading out on foot.

Kurtis’ sister-in-law, Louise Benatmane, said the family is particularly keen to hear from people who know the area well.

“We are looking for anyone who is fit and able and has good local knowledge of snickleways, alleyways and paths around the town and river,” she said.

Chief Inspector Richard Yelland, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said a significant amount of ground and water has already been covered since the search began.

“We are doing all we can to locate Kurtis and can reassure the public that extensive searches have taken place over the past few days,” he said. “We are extremely grateful for the support shown by the local community, but we continue to ask members of the public not involved in the organised search to stay away from the riverbanks, as conditions remain hazardous.”

Kurtis has been described by those who know him as family-orientated and kind-hearted, and his family have spoken of being overwhelmed by the level of support shown by the community.

His brother Ryan thanked those who have already volunteered their time.

“Everyone who has turned up to help has been incredible,” he said. “We just want people to keep safe while they’re helping. Any support at all is hugely appreciated.”

A Facebook page providing verified updates on the search has been set up by the family under the name Kurtis Brook – Cardigan, Wales.

A PETITION call to the Welsh Government to find a long-term solution to a regularly flood-hit road at the entrance to Tenby has been submitted by a local councillor.

The Gumfreston area near the south Pembrokeshire seaside town is regularly hit with floods, and councillors have previously heard its existing warning system appeared to not like working when its wet, with St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty county councillor Rhys Jordan frequently raising the issue at full council meetings.

The petition, created by Cllr Jordan, entitled ‘Lead and fund a long-term flood mitigation solution for the B4318 and Tenby catchment,’ has attracted more than 500 signatures to date and runs up until January 31.

It says: “The B4318 floods repeatedly, cutting off a key access route to Tenby. Although the road is maintained by Pembrokeshire County Council, flooding is caused by surface water runoff, high River Ritec levels, and tidal locking at the South Beach outfall during high tides. These combined factors mean local highway measures alone cannot resolve the problem.

“Flooding on the B4318 is frequent and disruptive, affecting residents, businesses, emergency access, schools and the local economy. Local options have been pursued but are limited by factors beyond the council’s control, including river capacity, catchment drainage, and coastal discharge constraints. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of rainfall and tide-related flooding, making the situation unsustainable.

“We are asking the Welsh Government to provide national leadership by coordinating relevant bodies such as Natural Resources Wales and Pembrokeshire County Council to assess the full catchment, including surface water, river, and tidal influences. A long-term, climate-resilient solution is required, supported by appropriate capital funding, to protect access to Tenby and reduce ongoing flood risk for the community.”

All petitions with more than 250 signatures will be discussed by the Petitions Committee after they have finished collecting signatures; any petition reaching 10,000 will be considered for a debate in the Senedd.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire county council, a submitted question calling for an improvement in communication of road closures caused by flooding in the area was heard, with members agreeing the question be submitted to a future meeting of the county council’s Cabinet for further consideration.

In his submitted question, Cllr Jordan had said: “The B4318 at Gumfreston is prone to persistent flooding during adverse weather conditions, leading to road closures that disrupt travel and pose safety risks for residents and motorists.

“Currently, closures are not effectively communicated to residents, causing inconvenience, delays, and potential hazards. An efficient alert system would provide timely information to residents, allowing them to plan alternative routes and ensuring safety.”

Last October, Cllr Jordan had asked at full council for an update on progress made toward improving the flood warning system in the Gumfreston area.

He had asked: “Can you give me an assurance that the flood warning system will actually work this autumn and winter?

“Only yesterday [October 16] the road was flooded and no warning signs were on; it seems to work when the road is not flooded, but they don’t like operating when its wet.”

He described it as “probably the most closed road in the county,” but one where there was the least communication on.

Members were previously given a ‘full commitment’ to improvements to the warning systems would be made.