A MEMORIAL bench will be returned to its rightful place after being washed away in last week’s storms.

The timber bench dedicated to Gary Cross (1944-2012) originally stood on the pier at Porthclais Harbour just outside of St Davids.

But it was knocked off its fixings during the ferocious weather on Wednesday night and washed up two days later and seven miles away on the sands of Newgale Beach.

The bench was spotted on the Pen y Cwm side of the beach by Bruce Sanderson, owner of Newsurf and Sands Café in Newgale.

He and some of his staff suited up, swam out to sea to bring it ashore, hauled it across the sand and over the steep pebble bank.

Bruce said: “It is a solid timber bench with a plaque for Gary Cross ‘who loved this place.'

“We have contacted Mr Cross’s widow and she was delighted it has been found and very grateful to us for bringing it in from the sea."

Bruce added: “We are keeping it safe in the shop until it can be taken back to Porthclais.”