News
Two shouts: RNLI assist yacht with engine trouble, and rescue casualty from water
ON SUNDAY afternoon (May 7), Angle Lifeboat received a distress call from a 33ft yacht located approximately one mile southwest of the entrance to Milford Haven.
The yacht was experiencing engine difficulties and was unable to sail, prompting the crew to request assistance.
The lifeboat was launched at 3:55pm and headed out the east channel.
They located the yacht just south of Sheep Island, where the Port Authority patrol vessel Water Ranger was standing by but unable to assist due to the size of the vessel.
The lifeboat quickly rigged a tow and began the hour-long journey towards Milford Marina.
Upon arrival, they brought the yacht into an alongside tow and waited briefly while the lock gates opened for freeflow.
The lifeboat then took the yacht through the lock gates and into the marina basin, where the yacht was able to make its own way back to its berth. The lifeboat crew was stood down at 6pm after ensuring that no further assistance was needed.

The RNLI also received an early morning shout this Bank Holiday Weekend
This time, at around 6am, they were asked to assist with a possible despondent person at Wards Pier in Milford Haven.
Upon launching, they received an update that the casualty had entered the water.
The Port Authority pilot vessel St Davids was already on scene attempting to offer assistance, and by the time the lifeboat arrived, the St Davids crew had managed to recover the casualty from the water.
The lifeboat and pilot boat conducted a slow speed transfer off Milford, and the casualty was taken inside to be warmed up and assessed by the lifeboat crew, who were trained in casualty care.
The lifeboat then proceeded to the Port Authority jetty, where the Coastguard rescue team from Dale were waiting to assist.
The crew took the casualty into the pilot launch crew’s mess room to provide further warmth and continued to monitor her until the arrival of an ambulance and a rapid response paramedic, who took over her care.
The lifeboat crew was stood down at 7:45am, having done all they could to assist the casualty.
The crew of the Port Authority pilot vessel were also commended for their quick response and immediate care of the casualty.
Community
Museum acquires rare Tudor gold ring for collection
Valero donation helps secure historic ‘Memento Mori’ treasure found near Uzmaston
A RARE Tudor gold ring dating back more than four centuries has been added to the collection at Haverfordwest Town Museum, thanks to a donation from Valero Pembroke Refinery.
The 6.38-gram gold ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at Uzmaston and Boulston in 2021 and has since been formally declared treasure.

Stylistically dated to between 1550 and 1650, the ring bears the inscription ‘Memento Mori’ – the Latin phrase meaning ‘Remember you must die’ – alongside a small skull motif filled with cross-hatched detailing. Such rings were commonly worn during the Tudor and early Stuart periods as a symbolic reminder of the brevity of life.
Museum curator Dr Simon Hancock said the piece offers a rare and personal glimpse into the beliefs of the period.
He explained: “Such rings, worn by a merchant or member of the gentry, reminded the wearer of the shortness of life. This was a very popular theme during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
“The ring was declared treasure and we are very grateful to Valero for providing a grant towards the treasure valuation, allowing us to secure it for the museum and the people of Pembrokeshire.”
The acquisition ensures the artefact will remain in the county where it was found and will go on public display as part of the museum’s growing local history collection.
Pictured are Ted Sangster, chair of Haverfordwest Castle CIO; Lesley Turner, museum treasurer; Tim Evans, chair of trustees; Stephen Thornton of Valero; Dr Simon Hancock, curator; and Bethany Hope, museum volunteer and social media manager.
News
High Court strikes down Palestine Action ‘terror’ ban
Welsh arrests now deemed unlawful as judges rule proscription breached human rights
THE High Court has ruled that the UK Government acted unlawfully when it branded protest group Palestine Action a terrorist organisation – a decision that directly affects dozens of arrests made in Wales.
In a landmark judgement delivered on Thursday (Feb 13) at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, judges said the ban represented a disproportionate attack on the rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
The ruling means arrests made under the proscription since last summer could now be unlawful.
Campaigners say at least 34 people were detained in Wales alone.
Palestine Action had been banned under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025, making it a criminal offence to show support for the group. The move marked the first time a non-violent civil disobedience organisation focused on property damage – rather than violence against people – had been classified alongside terrorist groups.

Welsh protesters affected
Demonstrations took place across Wales as part of the nationwide “Lift the Ban” campaign organised by Defend Our Juries.
Silent vigils and placard protests were held in both Cardiff and Swansea.
Campaign figures show:
• 13 arrests outside BBC Wales headquarters last July
• 12 more during November protests in Cardiff
• Nine detained on the steps of the Senedd Cymru
Across the UK, nearly 3,000 people were arrested, including clergy, teachers and pensioners.
Court criticism of Home Office
The case was brought by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori.
After a three-day judicial review, judges Dame Victoria Sharp, Jonathan Swift and Karen Steyn found the Home Office had failed to properly consult the group and had not followed its own proportionality rules.
They ruled the ban breached Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – protections covering freedom of expression and assembly.
In a statement, Ammori said:
“This is a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and for the Palestinian people.”
A Defend Our Juries spokesperson added:
“Branding peaceful protest as terrorism is something you expect from dictatorships, not democracies.”
Border links to Wales
The issue has particular relevance locally.
Palestine Action has frequently targeted sites near the Welsh border, including facilities run by Elbit Systems at Filton and Aztec West, less than thirty miles from Cardiff.
Activists allege the company supplies drones and equipment used in Gaza.
Six protesters were recently acquitted by a jury following damage at the Filton site, arguing their actions were intended to prevent greater harm overseas.
That proximity has drawn many Welsh campaigners into demonstrations, with protests spilling into Wales amid wider concerns over UK arms exports.
Appeal pending
The Government has been granted time to appeal.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers were “disappointed” and would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The quashing of the ban has therefore been temporarily paused.
Legal experts warn that while the judgement casts doubt on earlier arrests, individuals may still need separate legal action to clear records or seek compensation.
Wider implications
Civil liberties groups including Amnesty International had warned the proscription risked setting a precedent for using anti-terror laws against non-violent movements such as climate activists.
For many in Wales, the ruling is seen as a reaffirmation of the right to protest.
One Cardiff campaigner said:
“This was never about supporting violence. It was about the right to stand up and speak out.”
With tensions over Gaza continuing and further demonstrations planned, Thursday’s decision is likely to reignite debate over the limits of protest — and how far the state can go to suppress dissent.
For now, however, activists say the High Court has drawn a clear line.
Peaceful protest, judges ruled, is not terrorism.
Community
Editor shares personal Sea Empress memories on BBC Radio Wales
Milford Haven tug master’s son recalls chaos, courage and family legacy thirty years on
THE EDITOR of The Pembrokeshire Herald has spoken on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast about his family’s connection to the Sea Empress disaster, thirty years after the tanker ran aground off Milford Haven.
Tom Sinclair appeared on the morning programme between 8:00am and 9:00am, reflecting on how the 1996 oil spill unfolded both as a major national story and as something happening outside his own front door.
Sinclair told listeners how he first learned of the grounding while on a school trip abroad, switching on the television in a hotel room to see Milford Haven dominating international news coverage.

He also described how his late father, Thomas Sinclair, was directly involved in the response.
At the time, Mr Sinclair was a senior tug master with Cory Towage and remained at sea to assist with the salvage operation alongside other local crews.
Speaking after the programme, Sinclair said the disaster had always felt “very personal”.
“Our house overlooked the Haven, so everything was happening right in front of us,” he said. “Dad was out there working on the tugs while we were watching it on the news at home.”
He recalls aircraft flying low over the water to spray dispersants and the constant anxiety ashore as storms battered the stranded tanker.
As a teenager, he also helped his father prepare documents relating to escort towing procedures in the aftermath of the incident, typing reports on a home computer in the family attic.
“It was strange talking about it on the radio,” he added. “Dad can’t be here to tell those stories himself now, so it felt like an honour to share some of those memories.”
The Sea Empress spill, which released tens of thousands of tonnes of crude oil, remains one of the worst environmental disasters in British waters and had a lasting impact on Pembrokeshire’s coastline and maritime operations.
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