Pembs review Pt1: Jabs, a nuclear reactor and Wally the Walrus

Here's some the biggest stories the Western Telegraph covered over the past 12 months.

January: Roll out of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in Pembrokeshire

THE roll-out of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine from GP surgeries began in Pembrokeshire. January also saw the opening of its second mass vaccination centre, as over 20,000 residents across the Hywel Dda health board area prepared to receive their first Covid-19 jabs. Tenby Leisure Centre joined the Pembrokeshire Archives in Prendergast, Haverfordwest as a venue for the vaccinations. A Hywel Dda statement said: “These mass vaccination centres provide a safe environment, space to maintain social distancing while allowing more people to be vaccinated as efficiently and as quickly as possible.”

Roll out of Astra/Zeneca in Pembrokeshire

February: The murder of Judith Rhead by her son

A MURDER investigation was launched after the death of 68-year-old Judith Rhead at a property in Market Street, Pembroke Dock. People lined the streets for Mrs Rhead’s funeral the following April. In October Mrs Rhead’s son, Dale Morgan, aged 43, of Honeyborough Green, Neyland, was sentenced to life in prison for her murder. He had admitted the crime at a hearing on August 31. Following his arrest, Morgan answered ‘no comment’ at interview, and has still said very little to give any sort of an account of what happened or why.

Shocking murder of Judith Rhead

March: A visit from an artic walrus...

AN Artic walrus made its first appearance in Pembrokeshire after swimming over from Ireland. The walrus was spotted on a south Pembrokeshire beach before making Tenby lifeboat slip its home. The walrus, named Wally by its adoring fans, kept us all amused with its antics which included boarding local boats, balancing a starfish on its nose and chilling on the lifeboat slipway. Wally stayed in Tenby for a couple of months before heading to Cornwall, France and Spain. Much as we enjoyed his stay, we hope he has found his way back to chillier waters.

An artic walrus named Wally came to Pembrokeshire. Photo Gareth Davies Photography

April: Pubs reopen after lockdown

PEMBROKESHIRE pubs and pub-goers delighted in the re-opening of hostelries outdoors following the relaxation of Covid rules. Monday, April 26, saw the long-awaited reopening of outdoor attractions, including funfairs and theme parks, as well as outdoor hospitality, including cafes, pubs and restaurants. Happy customers in the Clarence Hotel’s seafront beer garden on Tenby’s Esplanade were the first to be served from the newly-installed on-site bar. “It’s all going well and it’s pretty busy,” said a member of the reception team. In Saundersfoot, customers also took advantage of the takeaway service. 

Pubs finally got to reopen. Photo Gareth Davies Photography

May: Discussions about a nuclear fusion reactor being built in the county / Wally leaves Pembrokeshire

IN May, there were hopes an experimental nuclear fusion reactor, which could create limitless energy, could be built on a site in Pembrokeshire’s Haven waterway. Pembrokeshire County Council entered the STEP site nomination process with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) for a site on land adjacent to Valero Refinery and RWE Pembroke Power station, to host a Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) fusion power station. Later in the year the county heard Pembrokeshire had not been selected.

WALLY the walrus bade farewell to his Tenby home, swimming out of Welsh waters, and was later sighted off the coast of Cornwall. Wally, whose previous mailing address was the Tenby RNLI lifeboat slipway, was spotted during a Padstow Sealife Safaris trip on Wednesday, May 19. Only two days before – on Monday, May 17 – Wally was relaxing on the slipway in Tenby, which means that the Arctic creature made the 70 nautical mile journey across the Bristol Channel from Tenby to Cornwall in under 48 hours. He later enjoyed an epic continental holiday. 

Wally leaves Pembrokeshire, and a nuclear reactor in the county?