Community

Sustaining Angle Lifeboat Station operations ‘increasingly challenging’

Published

2 years ago

May 21, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

ANGLE LIFEBOAT station, one of the busiest in west Wales, is seeing operations from its site in the village “becoming increasingly challenging” to sustain due to its remote location and a declining population, the RNLI has said.

Formed in 1868, the station owes its launch to the generosity of a prominent north England philanthropist, Titus Salt junior, of Bradford.

Fears have been expressed locally that the station could be downgraded in favour of activities being run from Milford Haven.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “It is becoming increasingly challenging for the RNLI to sustain operations at Angle Lifeboat Station due to its remote location and declining population.

“Since 2012, a local operating procedure has been in place for Angle’s all-weather lifeboat to collect crew from Milford Haven when attending incidents to ensure adequate crewing levels.

“The RNLI has recently provided extra support to crew based in Milford Haven, developing more infrastructure and dedicated training for volunteers.

“Angle’s all-weather lifeboat is currently based on a swing mooring to ensure it can be launched quickly and effectively in an emergency, due to limited amount of shore crew with daytime availability at Angle.

“Supplementing this arrangement, the RNLI has been operating from Milford Haven three days a week in order to maintain our lifesaving effect. We are working with Milford Haven Port Authority with a view to extending this arrangement to a 24/7 service for a three-to-six-month trial.

“We will still require the services of the Angle RNLI volunteer crew, but continue to review the situation in order to ensure the long-term viability of the station.

“The RNLI is committed to ensuring an effective lifesaving effect in the Cleddau Estuary and surrounding area and is grateful to Milford Haven Port Authority for their ongoing support.”

The first lifeboat at Angle, Katherine, launched seven times in 20 years, saving 22 lives, before being replaced in 1888 by the Henry Martin Harvey, which, in 1894, took part in its most famous rescue, of the passengers and crew of the ‘whisky ship’ Loch Shiel.

The ship was on a voyage from her home port of Glasgow to Australia, when she ran into heavy weather in the Irish Sea and tried to take shelter in the Milford Haven Waterway.

The Angle RNLI lifeboat was alerted and set out at 10.45pm, but by this time the ship was sinking and six of the men had taken refuge in the mizzen top.

Other members of the crew and passengers had crawled out along the ship and taken shelter on the rocks of Thorn Island.

The lifeboat rescued the six men from the mizzen top before heading to the far side of the island, hauling all 27 survivors to safety.

By daylight, the Loch Shiel had begun to break up and her cargo – which included 100 percent proof whisky – came ashore at West Angle Bay.

While customs officers quickly came to claim the whisky, much of it mysteriously disappeared, with local women said to have smuggled bottles from the beach in their long underwear.

In late 1929 the Merchant ship Molesey left Manchester for Cardiff when it was struck by a 70mph gale and was swept into the treacherous water between Skomer Island and the mainland, before being ground on the rocks off the Midland Island and began to sink.

In an hour-long operation 28 survivors of the Molesey where saved.

Earlier this month, May 2024, the lifeboat was called out four times in just two days.

Community

New town map unveiled in Fishguard

Published

14 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW town map has been installed in the heart of Fishguard to help residents and visitors discover more of what the area has to offer.

The map, created by Visit Fishguard & Goodwick’s in-house graphic designer, has been placed on the Abergwaun Hotel tunnel, near Offshore Surfwear’s new shop.

The group said it was “incredibly proud” of the finished result and thanked the building owner for allowing the map to be installed on the premises.

Visit Fishguard & Goodwick is now hoping to create a similar map for Goodwick and is asking for help from a centrally located building owner who may be willing to host it.

Anyone who can help, or knows of a suitable location, is being asked to get in touch with Visit Fishguard & Goodwick.

Community

Tenby Summer Spectacular cancelled amid council row over harbour access

Published

20 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Organisers say popular charity events cannot safely go ahead without clear powers to control crowds

TENBY ROUND TABLE has announced that this summer’s Tenby Summer Spectacular events have been cancelled until further notice amid a dispute with Pembrokeshire County Council over crowd control at the harbour.

The events, which were due to take place on Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, August 30, have been a major feature of Tenby’s summer calendar for decades, drawing large crowds to the harbour for entertainment, food, drink and fireworks.

In a statement, Tenby Round Table said the decision had been made “with enormous sadness” and claimed it had been forced on organisers because of unresolved issues over the safe management of pedestrian access.

The organisation said it needed the council’s Public Realm department to use statutory powers to temporarily restrict pedestrian access through the event area when capacity is reached.

Organisers said the matter had first been raised with the council in September 2025 and again formally in writing in May 2026.

They said volunteers had attended meetings, commissioned professional health and safety consultants and worked on Event Management Plans, but claimed the council had still not provided a clear answer.

Tenby Round Table said: “PCC’s Public Realm department has had nine months to answer one question on safe and controlled access to the harbour. It has not done so.”

The group also alleged that recent written responses from the council contained factual inaccuracies and misleading statements about the relevant legislation.

It added that the council’s legal advice was understood to be provisional and still under internal review.

The cancellation is currently described as provisional, with organisers giving the council a final deadline of June 25 to provide what they describe as a clear, accurate and legally grounded answer.

Tenby Round Table said that if this is provided, it will do everything possible to reinstate the events.

The group said the Summer Spectacular had raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities, sports teams, community groups and worthy individuals since it began.

It said the cancellation would be a devastating blow to those who benefit from the funds raised.

The statement added that organisers are still working with Dyfed-Powys Police and other relevant authorities ahead of a council licensing committee meeting in July, which is expected to consider whether the event licence should be renewed, amended or withdrawn.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council for comment.

Community

Haverfordwest lounge praised for charity work

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HAVERFORDWEST venue has been praised for raising more than £2,600 for local charities through a series of community events.

Castle Ward county councillor Thomas Tudor visited The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest with Henry Tufnell MP, where they met manager Stephanie Davies.

Cllr Tudor said Stephanie had “truly embraced” her role in the community, organising events including a duck race, sports quiz, Mad Hatter’s tea party for Little Loungers, a bake sale and a drag night show.

Together, the events have raised £2,637 for local good causes.

Charities to benefit include The VC Gallery, Tŷ Hafan and Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Cancer Support Centre.

Cllr Tudor said: “It was lovely to introduce Henry Tufnell MP to Stephanie Davies, manager of The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.

“Stephanie has truly embraced her role in the community of Haverfordwest, running many exciting initiatives and raising a staggering £2,637 for local charities.”

The fundraising continues this week, with Rock ’n’ Roll Bingo and a Wild West country and western night featuring a rodeo bull.

Caption: Community support: Thomas Tudor, Stephanie Davies and Henry Tufnell MP outside The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.