Community

Cops saved the life of a violent man

Published

6 years ago

February 5, 2020

A TEAM west Wales of police officers have been commended for putting their own lives at risk to save a man who was threatening to jump from a roof.

The Dyfed-Powys Police colleagues spent several hours in a tiny attic space trying to talk the man down, while he both attacked them and threatened to throw himself to his death.

Police had been called to Carmarthen on May 15, 2019, to carry out enquiries linked with a wanted man. On arriving at the scene, the man smashed his way onto a roof with a knife and could be seen running across the tops of four properties.

During a protracted incident, and in testing circumstances, officers ended up kicking through the roof to bring the man to safety. Their decisive action and composure ensured a safe resolution to a highly dangerous situation.

In recognition, 12 officers attended the force’s commendation evening on Tuesday, January 28.

Looking back at the incident, firearms officer PC Scott Patrick, said: “I have been in the job for 23 years, and this was by far the hairiest incident I have been involved in.

“Two of us were called to relieve the officers inside, and we went into the attic hatch where Inspector Reuben Palin had been for a few hours talking to the man on the roof.

“This man was on recall to prison, and obviously didn’t want to go back. He was highly emotional and the fear wasn’t that he was going to jump as he was threatening, but that actually he was going to fall off the roof as it was dark and quite slippery.”

Making the treacherous situation even more difficult to deal with, the man took out a Kinder Egg stuffed with drugs and consumed the contents. It was unclear what he had taken, but within minutes he became drowsy and his speech was affected.

The officers knew they needed to get him to safety quickly.

“He had pulled himself through a very small hole in the roof, and Reuben got him to put his leg back through so we could grab hold of it,” PC Patrick said.

“We didn’t know how he would react, but when he knew what was happening he started thrashing around and throwing his weight back.

“Three of us were holding onto his leg, and he started trying to take his trousers off to get away from us. It was exhausting trying to keep hold of him, and we were getting into a really precarious situation – it was boom or bust.”

The three officers were working in testing conditions – cramped into a small and dusty attic, and working by moonlight. They knew they would need to break through the roof, and PC Patrick motioned for colleagues below to pass up a saw.

“I grabbed it and cut through the batons, then kicked the roof through to get to him,” he said. “It was outside our normal working practice, but he had told us he’d taken heroin and sleeping pills, and it was getting really dangerous.”

PC Patrick tried to reason with the man, but he got more irate and picked up pieces of broken slate from the roof to use as a weapon.

“He started using it as a knife, coming down towards my neck,” the PC said. “I took out my taser, and he clenched enough for us to grab and cuff him. It was a massive relief to get him down after all that time.”

The man was helped out of the attic and was taken to hospital for treatment, while officers regrouped for a full de-brief.

“For me, the decisive moment was when Reuben made the call to go from a constant dialogue with the suspect, to saying under his breath ‘grab his leg’. He was the hero of the moment. If the man had fallen, he would have done himself catastrophic damage, and Reuben’s call was pivotal in ensuring we got him down safely,” PC Patrick said.

In recognition of the decisions made under tough conditions and swift action taken by all involved in the incident, the following officers have been commended for the parts they played:

Operational firearms commander PC Emyr Thomas, PC Glenn White (retired), PC Scott Patrick, Inspector Reuben Palin, Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees, Sgt Phillip Jones, PC Matthew Roach, PC Elinor Evans, PC Mike Andrews, PC Samuel Phillips and South Wales Police officers PC Julian Knoyle and PC Steven Fox.

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

18 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

20 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

22 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)