‘Worst he’s seen in 33 years’ – Council appeals for witnesses after 70 trees vandalised in Swansea park

The council has described the damage as the worst example of tree vandalism a staff member has seen in 33 years of service. The issue has been reported to South Wales Police and the council is urging anyone with information to come forward.

Almost all the new trees planted in the much-loved community park over the last 15 years have been attacked. Parks staff discovered last week that the trees had been hacked at with a knife or small bladed tool, with the bark stripped away by pulling.

Among the damaged trees were cherry trees donated to Swansea by the Japanese consulate in Wales.

Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Swansea Council, condemned the attack, calling it an “insult to the local community.”

“Someone will know who did this and I’d urge them to come forward and report it to police. They can do it anonymously if they want,” he said.

“The extent of the damage to so many trees would have taken a long time with a concerted effort, going tree to tree both sides of the paths and off into the centre of muddy fields. Cherry trees donated to Swansea by the Japanese consulate in Wales were not spared. It’s just very shaming.”

He added:

“This kind of damage is shocking and an insult to the local community that’s seen these trees grow and thrive.”

Parc Llewelyn recently celebrated the opening of an upgraded play area, making it a popular destination for families in the area.

Anyone with information is asked to report it to the police, quoting crime reference number 2600037943.

New footage shows moment vandal‑prone Swansea speed camera is painted over with a paintbrush on a stick

The footage captures a man in a white painter’s boiler suit with his hood up climbing a ladder to reach the camera on Llangyfelach Road in Treboeth. He uses a paintbrush attached to a pole to smear red paint across the main lens before climbing down to cover the lower lenses.

As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, the newly installed camera was found daubed in red paint just days after being installed. The device itself had only just been put back in place after its predecessor was cut down with an angle grinder in a brazen attack that shocked residents and raised questions about the vulnerability of road safety enforcement equipment.

South Wales Police told Swansea Bay News that the footage had not previously been reported to them, and confirmed they are now reviewing the incident. Officers are expected to issue a fuller statement once they have assessed the video evidence.

The attack has reignited debate about speed cameras in Swansea. Our earlier coverage of the grinder attack drew more than 360 comments, with the vast majority of readers expressing delight that the device had been damaged. Many criticised speed cameras as “money‑making machines” rather than casualty‑preventing tools, reflecting a deep hostility towards enforcement measures on local roads.

GoSafe, the Welsh Road Casualty Reduction Partnership responsible for speed enforcement, says cameras are placed at sites with a history of collisions or where speeding is a concern.

A spokesperson explained:

“Our cameras are there to encourage people to drive within the speed limits and keep everyone using our roads safe. The most successful cameras are the ones that see the least number of offences, not the most.”

GoSafe stresses that enforcement sites are chosen using Welsh Government guidance, and that cameras are intended to reduce casualties, not generate income.

#gosafe #llangyfelachRoad #motoring #roadSafety #southWalesPolice #speedCamera #speeding #swansea #treboeth #vandalisedSpeedCamera

Second strike: Swansea speed camera targeted with red paint days after angle‑grinder attack replacement

Camera targeted twice in 18 months

The average speed camera outside the Kings Head pub on Llangyfelach Road was first destroyed in May 2024, when it was hacked down with an angle grinder. Video footage of the incident went viral, prompting South Wales Police to launch an appeal and offer a £1,000 reward for information.

After standing dormant for more than a year, a replacement camera was erected on 20 October 2025. But within days the new device was attacked — this time sprayed with red paint, apparently fired from a paint gun, leaving its lenses obscured.

A controversial history

The cameras themselves have long been controversial. Installed in June 2018 as part of a £455,000 road safety initiative, they remained switched off for five years due to technical issues, only becoming operational in June 2023.

The stretch of Llangyfelach Road was reduced from 30mph to 20mph under the Welsh Government’s default 20mph speed limit introduced in September 2023. That policy sparked a record‑breaking petition against its implementation. While Swansea Council later identified 17 roads to revert back to 30mph, Llangyfelach Road was not among them — a decision that has fuelled frustration among motorists.

Enforcement hotspot

The road has also become one of South Wales’ busiest enforcement sites. In August 2025, Llangyfelach Road ranked 6th in the region’s top 20 speeding hotspots, with 3,295 Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) and 1,116 fixed penalties issued.

GoSafe, the Wales road casualty reduction partnership, says cameras are placed in areas with high collision rates or community concerns about speeding. Four fixed 20mph cameras are being activated across Wales this month as part of wider enforcement measures.

Police investigation

South Wales Police previously confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in connection with the 2024 incident, but no further action was taken due to lack of evidence.

The force has yet to issue a statement on the latest vandalism, but enquiries are understood to be ongoing.

Community reaction

Local Facebook groups have been filled with debate since the latest attack, with some residents criticising the 20mph limit and others warning that vandalising cameras undermines road safety efforts.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Video of speed camera cut down goes viral
Footage showed the original Llangyfelach Road camera being removed with an angle grinder in May 2024.

Police re‑issue appeal after camera cut down
South Wales Police offered a £1,000 reward for information following the incident.

Speed cameras switched on five years late
Cameras installed in 2018 as part of a £455k scheme were only activated in June 2023.

17 Swansea roads revert to 30mph
Council confirmed which roads would return to 30mph after the Welsh Government’s 20mph rollout.

Thousands caught speeding on Swansea roads
Llangyfelach Road ranked 6th in South Wales for speeding offences in August 2025.

#20mph #criminalDamage #featured #fixedPenaltyNotice #gosafe #llangyfelachRoad #noticesOfIntendedProsecution #speedCamera #speeding #swansea #treboeth #vandalisedSpeedCamera #vandalism

Swansea man jailed after disgraceful car theft

31-year-old Liam Bolton, from Treboeth, Swansea, and 26-year-old George Payne, from St. Mellons, Cardiff, both entered an address on Grove Road, Pontardawe on February 4.

The car they stole was later found unattended without the key on Tudor Road, Treboeth.

Bolton pleaded not guilty to the offence of burglary dwelling and theft, but was found guilty on September 10. He has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Payne changed his plea to the same charge from not guilty to guilty in July. He was jailed for 30 months.

Detective Constable Andy Williams said:

“Criminals like Liam Bolton and George Payne are the sort of people who make others in their community feel unsafe in their own homes.

“To know that strangers have entered your home will be extremely distressing for anyone. However, these are two men who do not care about anyone else but themselves.

“It is good to see that both will be spending considerable time in prison as a result of their actions. The streets are safer without them out there waiting to prey on their next unexpecting victim.”

[Lead image: South Wales Police]

#carTheft #SouthWalesPolice #Treboeth

Swansea’s Dewi Pws remembered in moving Eisteddfod tribute

The warm summer air at the Wrecsam Eisteddfod was filled with laughter, music and memory as Wales paid tribute to one of its most beloved cultural icons — Dewi ‘Pws’ Morris. A special concert titled Nwy yn y Nen, named after his award-winning 1971 song, brought together friends, fans and fellow performers to honour the late actor, musician and poet who passed away last August at the age of 76.

Born and raised in Treboeth, Swansea, Dewi Pws was a true son of the city. He attended Ysgol Gymraeg Lôn Las and Dynevor Grammar School before training as a teacher in Cardiff. But it was his irrepressible creativity and mischievous charm that led him to a life in the arts — a journey that would span over five decades and leave an indelible mark on Welsh culture2.

At the Eisteddfod tribute, many wore red neckerchiefs — a nod to Dewi’s signature look — as they sang along to classics like Lleucu Llwyd and Nwy yn y Nen. His wife, Rhiannon, shared that Dewi would have been “thrilled” by the celebration, joking that he’d have loved not being expected to perform — just to sit back and enjoy.

Dewi first rose to fame as the lead singer of Y Tebot Piws, and later helped form Edward H Dafis, Wales’s first supergroup. His musical contributions were matched by his acting career, with standout roles in Pobol y Cwm, Rownd a Rownd, and the iconic rugby comedy Grand Slam. He also held the title of Children’s Poet for Wales in 2010 and was inducted into the Gorsedd Cymru as an honorary druid.

The idea for the tribute concert came from fellow musician Cleif Harpwood, with Mei Gwynedd curating the performances. Singer Meinir Gwilym, who performed at the event, recalled Dewi’s humour and encouragement: “He gave us joy and confidence. It’s an incredible and emotional honour to be part of this.”

Though Dewi’s voice may no longer echo live across Welsh stages, his songs continue to play on the radio, stirring warm memories and laughter. As Rhiannon put it, “Knowing he hasn’t been forgotten brings comfort.”

From Swansea’s sandcastles to the national Maes, Dewi Pws built a legacy of joy, rebellion and creativity — one that will continue to inspire generations to come.

📸 Stream the tribute concert via S4C Clic

#concert #DewiPwsMorris #DewiPws #DynevorGrammarSchool #EdwardHDafis #Eisteddfod #GorseddCymru #LleucuLlwyd #NationalEisteddfod #NwyYnYNen #PobolYCwm #RowndARownd #S4C #Treboeth #tribute #WelshLanguage #YTebotPiws #YsgolGymraegLônLas

Parts of Swansea to get electric ‘safety inspection’ visits

The checks, which affect properties in Fforestfach, Manselton, Penlan, Treboeth, and Waunarlwydd will take place from this week.

National Grid say that domestic and small business customers in the SA5 postcode will receive visits from approved contractors to check that service termination points inside properties are working as they should.

The service termination point, also known as a cut-out, is the indoor location where the main incoming electricity service cable and fuse is situated, in most cases close to the electricity meter. The cut-out is situated in a meter cabinet on the outside of most modern properties built since the 1980s, though it could be located within the property adjacent to the electricity meter or the customer’s consumer unit.

Inspectors will visually inspect National Grid and energy suppliers’ equipment and record basic details. No disassembly work will be carried out and customers’ power supplies will not be interrupted while inspections occur.

National Grid say they are aiming to complete 400,000 inspections of cut-outs in homes and small businesses across the Midlands, South West and South Wales every year in a rolling programme over the next 20 years.

It has an Ofgem licence obligation to carry out asset inspections to ensure cut-outs at low voltage metered properties are operating safely.

Richard Brady, National Grid’s Policy Engineer heading the inspection programme, said: “The UK is recognised internationally as having one of the most resilient and safe energy systems and this inspection programme underlines our commitment to the highest safety standards.

“Inspectors will visually examine cut-outs to check they are working as they should, taking photos and notes for our records. In the unlikely event of a defective cut-out being found, NGED engineers will be sent to carry out repairs at no cost to the customer.

“Visits will also be an opportunity to confirm what types of low-carbon technologies (LCT) are connected to our network, for example electric vehicle chargers and solar panels, to help our planning for future load growth on the network, and enable LCT items to be connected quicker in the future as we will have records of the cut-out asset on site and its condition.

“These are important safety visits but we understand they could be inconvenient for customers and apologise in advance if this is the case.”

Inspectors will be from a company called Calisen and will be clearly identifiable as working for NGED. They will be able to present ID and authorisation to enter properties.

Customers will have the option of taking their own photographs of their cut-out and meter and sending them to National Grid who will decide if a follow-up visit is needed.

#electricity #Fforestfach #Manselton #NationalGrid #Penlan #Treboeth #Waunarlwydd

Two men jailed after intimidating family with samurai sword in road rage rampage

South Wales Police say 29-year-old Stephen Harris from Uplands and 27-year-old Lathan Gray from Bonymaen were in a Citroen Xsara Picasso on Llangyfelach Road in Treboeth driven by Harris at around 6.20pm on Sunday 20 April. The vehicle was doing wheel spins and handbrake turns in the middle of a busy main road.

Following a near-collision, a member of public challenged the pair, who then proceeded to follow the challenger’s vehicle, with his partner and seven-year-old son inside, in a threatening and intimidating manner.

Once the victim stopped at the nearby Texaco garage, Harris then stopped his vehicle to block the exit. Grey then exited the vehicle and made further threatening advances towards the victim, including lifting his jumper to show the long handle of the blade tucked into his trousers.

The vehicle also had a false registration plate and was uninsured. Harris was already disqualified from driving until 2029.

Officers located the vehicle a short distance away from the incident, and a further kitchen knife was found within the vehicle when searched, as was a hammer.

Both were charged and remanded and pleaded guilty the following morning.

Lathan Gray has been sentenced to 48 weeks in prison. Stephen Harris has been sentenced to 26 weeks in prison.

Detective Inspector Danielle Thorne from South Wales Police said: “Stephen Harris and Lathan Gray are two men who believe that the law does not apply to them.

“Their intimidating behaviour, particularly towards a family with a young child, was totally disgraceful.

“We hope that they both take their time in prison to think better of this kind of thuggish behaviour.”

#Bonymaen #dangerousDriving #featured #knifeCrime #LlangyfelachRoad #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea #Treboeth #Uplands