WILLOW a cherished family dog, has been reunited with her owners after a harrowing 12-day disappearance.

The heartwarming conclusion to her ordeal unfolded when she was discovered by holidaymakers halfway down a cliff near Penberi.

The saga began when Willow went missing, leaving her owners distraught and launching a community-wide search effort.

Despite the anxious days that followed, hope flickered when a group of vacationers chanced upon Willow during a stroll.

Quick-thinking and resourceful, they captured images of Willow’s precarious position, took note of nearby landmarks, and promptly relayed this vital information to her grateful owners.

Equipped with these invaluable visuals, HM Coastguard rescuers from the St Davids team were able to pinpoint Willow’s location with precision.

Upon arrival, they called out to her, prompting the weary dog to respond with intermittent howls. Amidst the rugged coastal terrain, the reassuring voices of her rescuers provided solace until the arrival of the Coastguard team.

Led by a dedicated crew, a daring cliffside operation ensued, culminating in Willow’s safe retrieval. Greeted by wagging tails and relieved smiles, the successful rescue mission saw Willow reunited with her owners, albeit thin and nursing a minor injury.

Expressing profound gratitude, Willow’s owners extended heartfelt thanks to the community for their unwavering support. From spreading the word to actively scouring the countryside, the collective efforts of friends, strangers, and local establishments played a pivotal role in Willow’s safe return.

Ella Sutton said: “We can’t thank everyone enough for your generosity, time, sharing, walking, droning, driving, thoughts, prayers and messages. Thank you to all those that have kept an eye out for her on your everyday or deliberate walks, runs and cycles, and to those that have driven around especially, hoping to glimpse a sighting. Many of you we know, but many we don’t.

“Thank you to the campsites and cafes for having posters and telling people around. Thank you to those that have called with sightings. And a huge thank you Anna who spotted her, and HM Coastguard – St Davids for bringing her back to us.

“All your help is SO appreciated. We’ve felt very supported and cared for by the community and beyond. We are so so happy to have our lovely Willow home and we’ll all sleep better tonight!

“As Willow savors the warmth of home, plans are underway to ensure her safety in the future, with a tracking collar soon to be fitted.”

A very happy ending!

PLAID Cymru’s Dafydd Llewelyn has been re-elected as Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys, telling an audience in Llandysul it was “an honour and a privilege” to again hold the post.

Mr Llewelyn has held the post since 2016.

The elections took place on May 2nd, with the Ceredigion count and declaration of the commissioner taking place at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi May 3rd.

The election saw four candidates vying for the post:

• Philippa Thompson (Labour and Co-operative Party)
• Ian Harrison (Welsh Conservatives)
• Justin Griffiths (Welsh Liberal Democrats)
• Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid Cymru), the current commissioner

The role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account, and are responsible for the totality of policing.

PCCs aim to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police service within their police force area.

The Dyfed-Powys force area covers the counties of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Powys.

Overall votes for Dyfed-Powys were:

• Dafydd Llewelyn, 31,323
• Ian Harrison, 19,134
• Philippa Thompson, 18,353
• Justin Griffiths, 7,719

At the Ceredigion count Mr Llewelyn thanked the returning officer and staff for “working tirelessly,” adding: “Being the Police and Crime Commissioner in an area I’ve grown up in and worked all my life is quite an honour and a privilege, and I’m looking forward to serving a further four year term in office for Dyfed-Powys.”

Ceredigion results were: 7,146; 1,971; 1,716; and 1,307 respectively, with a 21.7 per cent turnout.

Pembrokeshire results saw Labour’s Philippa Thompson gain the majority, of 5,386, with Mr Harrison second on 5,168, Mr Llewelyn third on 4,643, and Mr Griffiths fourth on 1,209.

Carmarthenshire saw Mr Llewelyn lead, with 14,739 votes, followed by Labour on 7,395, conservative 5,430, and Liberal Democrats 2,037.

Powys saw a very different picture, with Mr Harrison leading.

• Conservative: 6,565
• Plaid Cymru: 4,795
• Labour: 3,856
• Liberal Democrats: 3,172

All four candidates have been contacted for their reaction following the re-election of Mr Llewelyn.

All four hopefuls had previously issued statements outlining why they should hold the position.

Philippa Thompson (Labour), in her statement, said: “There’s a huge crisis in funding for policing and public services. The Conservative Westminster Government has so much to answer for having destroyed our country’s economy. Labour believes security is the bedrock on which opportunities are built, communities thrive, and local economies prosper.

“Instead of standing up for security, the Tories have done the opposite. This wasn’t an accident – it was the result of deliberate choices. A choice to cut police from our streets, a choice to undermine respect for the rule of law. Our communities cannot afford more of the same. Things have got to change.

“Labour will be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.”

A statement on behalf of Ian Harrison (Conservative) said: “If elected as Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed Powys Ian’s immediate priorities will be focused upon Force performance within the context of the Annual HMIC reports and he would plan to come to an early agreement with the Chief Constable to address this issue.

“Residents tell Ian that they want to see more police officers, and that they want action on anti-social behaviour, tackling County Lines gangs, domestic violence and rural crime.

“Dyfed Powys is an enormous rural area to police, and Ian intends to spend his time visiting and listening to many stakeholders and interest groups as he develops specific plans and initiatives to reduce crime, make residents safer and reinforce interfaces with victim support groups.”

Justin Griffiths (Welsh Liberal Democrat), in his statement, said: “If elected I would seek to implement a more transparent, accountable and community-based policing service.

“I would seek to restore proper community policing ensuring officers are visible in our communities and not diverted to other areas, whilst tackling inequalities in criminal justice and seek to implement the recommendations of the Thomas Commission in devolving of powers to the relevant devolved administration.

“I would implement a fairer and more compassionate policing service e.g. the focus on drug offenders being put on rehabilitation programs, this is an example of our holistic approach to reducing repeat offending and a reduction in court backlogs and overpopulated prisons.”

Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid Cymru) said: “As your current Commissioner, operational, front-line policing has, and always will come before party politics. I have a strong track record of delivering on my promises and of listening to the communities of Dyfed Powys.

“I am proud of what I have achieved since 2016, but there is still so much to do.

“I am an approachable individual and I believe in listening to all members of the community in order to shape a successful police force.”

He says, since 2016, force area resources have been improved, and says he will “continue to put the victim at the heart of the service and develop a truly victim-led service”.

FOLLOWING the very successful public meeting in Newport, Pembrokeshire which was held to discuss bringing the much-loved local wholefoods shop into community ownership, a team of local residents is taking the project forward.

Over 180 people have already completed the online survey at https://bit.ly/WholefoodsSurvey which the Project Wholefoods team launched to test demand further. More than 85% of respondents say that securing the future of the wholefoods shop is “very important” to Newport, and 90% are supportive of a community purchase.

The business plan and funding applications are currently being finalised, and the launch of a community share offer is planned for June.

Project Wholefoods now has a website at www.projectwholefoods.cymru and a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/projectwholefoods.

The Project Wholefoods team is working closely with the group behind the successful community purchase of Havards in Newport which became the first community-owned hardware shop in the UK in 2022.

Hugh Simpson-Wells, one of the Directors of Project Wholefoods, says “We have been delighted by the response to the project, and the results of the survey confirm that there is a big appetite for a community purchase of Wholefoods of Newport. We are now in the process of setting up a Community Benefit Society, and finalising the business plan, funding applications and a community share offer. So watch this space!”

Cris Tomos of PLANED, the charity supporting community share offers in West Wales, says “Following the successful community purchase of Havards in 2022, it is fantastic to see so much momentum building to secure the future of Wholefoods of Newport as a community-owned shop.” Cris added “Responses to the survey are very encouraging, and I am working closely with the Project Wholefoods team to progress funding applications and the community share offer.”