News

Coastal habitats worth £36m a year in flood protection, report finds

Published

3 months ago

March 12, 2026

A NEW study has highlighted the crucial role that Wales’s coastal habitats play in protecting communities from flooding, estimating they provide flood-risk benefits worth around £36 million each year.

The research, carried out by Natural Resources Wales in partnership with marine consultants ABPmer and economic specialists eftec, examined how natural coastal features such as sand dunes, shingle banks and saltmarsh help reduce the impact of storms and rising sea levels.

The Wales-wide study assessed the physical characteristics of different habitats and how effectively they absorb wave energy, reduce wave height and limit tidal flooding.

Researchers estimate the natural protection these habitats provide is worth about £36m annually, based on the cost of damage avoided to homes, farmland and infrastructure including roads and railways.

Key coastal areas identified

Several locations were highlighted where coastal habitats could deliver particularly significant flood-risk benefits. These include Port Talbot, Newport, Neath, Swansea, Carmarthen Bay and stretches of the north Wales coastline.

However, the report warns that these natural defences can only provide their full protective benefit if they remain in good condition.

The latest State of Natural Resources Report has found many coastal margin habitats in Wales are already in poor condition, having been damaged by habitat loss, fragmentation and the growing pressures of climate change and sea level rise.

Researchers estimate that around 30 per cent of Wales’s original sand dune area has disappeared since 1900. Meanwhile, up to a quarter of saltmarsh within Welsh marine protected areas could vanish by 2155 if current trends continue.

‘Working with nature’ approach

Nicola Rimington, Lead Advisor on Marine and Coastal Physical Processes at Natural Resources Wales said communities across Wales already rely heavily on engineered coastal defences.

But she warned that flood risks are expected to increase significantly in the decades ahead due to climate change.

She said: “Many communities benefit from hard-engineered coastal defences, but face the very real prospect of flood risk increasing significantly in the decades ahead.

“As we face the growing challenges of climate change, we need to broaden our approach – working with nature to build greater long-term resilience.

“This report highlights the essential role our coastal habitats play in protecting communities and reinforces why restoring and safeguarding them must be a priority.”

Kathryn Robbins, Principal Environmental Consultant at ABPmer, said the research offered a first national-scale assessment of the protection provided by Wales’s natural coastlines.

She added: “Coastal habitats in Wales have experienced declines in extent and condition over the last few decades.

“This national-scale study provides an initial insight into the significant level of protection and economic benefit these habitats provide towards protecting communities from coastal flooding.”

The findings follow recent assessments of Wales’s network of Marine Protected Areas, which highlighted the need for urgent action to protect habitats, biodiversity and water quality.

The full report is available on the Natural Resources Wales website.

News

Tenby lifeboat tows yacht to safety after skipper falls ill near Caldey

Published

11 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A YACHT was towed back to Tenby after its skipper became unwell off Caldey Island.

Tenby’s all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 1:40pm on Monday (Jun 15), after the coastguard received a call from the occupants of a yacht reporting that the skipper had become ill around one mile south of Caldey Island.

The volunteer crew quickly made their way to the vessel, which had three people and a dog on board.

Once alongside, the lifeboat crew discovered that the skipper was suffering badly from seasickness and that the other two people on board were unable to sail the yacht themselves.

After a full assessment by the coxswain, it was decided that the safest course of action was to tow the yacht back to Tenby. The vessel was drifting with the tide towards Caldey Island and was also considered a potential navigational hazard to other boats.

Two lifeboat crew members were placed aboard the yacht to help set up the tow and to monitor the unwell skipper during the journey back.

After a tow of around an hour, the yacht was placed on the lifeboat mooring in the calmer waters of North Bay.

The lifeboat then returned to station, arriving back at 3:15pm.

Entertainment

Waverley marks 79th anniversary with Pembrokeshire sailings

Published

11 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WORLD’S last seagoing paddle steamer will return to Pembrokeshire this week as Waverley marks the 79th anniversary of her maiden voyage.

The historic vessel will sail from Milford Haven and Tenby on Tuesday (Jun 16), with trips including a daytime cruise around Skokholm, Skomer, St Brides Bay and Ramsey Island from 11:30am to 4:30pm.

There will also be an evening sailing from Milford Haven at 5:00pm, travelling to St Govan’s Head, Caldey Island and along the Pembrokeshire coast, returning at 9:50pm.

Passengers can also join Waverley at Tenby, with sailings to Milford Haven and an evening cruise around Caldey Island and the coast.

On Wednesday (Jun 17), Waverley will make her only Fishguard visit of 2026, with an evening cruise to St David’s Head, passing Strumble Head Lighthouse, from 6:15pm to 9:15pm.

Tickets are available through Waverley Excursions.

Crime

Mid Wales peace activist arrested outside court after Palestine Action ruling

Published

12 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MID WALES peace activist Angie Zelter was arrested outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London after holding a placard in support of Palestine Action.

The 75-year-old campaigner, from Knucklas, Powys, was detained at around 12:20pm on the steps of the court, according to Radnor Palestine Links.

The group said Ms Zelter was arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after holding a sign which read: “Saving lives is not terrorism. I support Palestine Action.”

She was taken to Charing Cross Police Station and released around two hours later, the group said.

The arrest came as the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the UK Government over its decision to proscribe Palestine Action under terrorism legislation.

The ruling overturned an earlier High Court decision which had found the ban unlawful. The Court of Appeal held that the Government’s decision was lawful and proportionate.

Palestine Action was banned after the Home Secretary moved to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. Supporting or inviting support for a proscribed organisation can be a criminal offence.

Radnor Palestine Links said the protest formed part of an ongoing campaign against the use of counter-terrorism laws against peaceful demonstrators.

Ms Zelter, a long-standing peace and human rights campaigner, has been arrested more than 100 times worldwide during decades of non-violent direct action. She is also known as a founder of Trident Ploughshares.

Speaking after her arrest, Ms Zelter said: “I think it’s a terrible indictment of the criminal justice system that you are charging me with terrorism for holding a peaceful sign.

“We have to uphold the most important international laws. Peaceful, disruptive protest is absolutely essential to protect democracy.”

The Metropolitan Police has been asked to confirm the circumstances of the arrest, whether Ms Zelter was formally charged, and the conditions of her release.

Photo caption: Court protest: Angie Zelter outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London holding a sign in support of Palestine Action (Pic: Radnor Palestine Links).