Concerns over the potential loss of the coastguard station at Milford Haven have been raised directly with both Cheryl Gillan, the Secretary of State for Wales, and Mike Penning, the Shipping Minister, by Angela Burns, Assembly Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, and Nick Bourne, leader of the opposition in the Assembly.

Mr. Bourne met with Mike Penning and went through in detail his concerns over the loss of jobs, the security and safety issues associated with the Haven, the overall reduction in numbers for the Maritime Agency and concerns over the loss of local knowledge.

Mrs. Burns accompanied the Secretary of State on her visit to Pembrokeshire and raised her concerns and those of the SOS Milford Haven campaign group.

Mrs. Burns said: "At the rally on The Rath, I promised to meet Mike Penning to ensure he understood our total opposition to the closure of the coastguard station at Milford Haven.

"As luck had it, that meeting in Westminster was the same day I was escorting the Secretary of State on her visit to the main energy companies on the Haven, so Nick Bourne and I decided to take the opportunity to raise our concerns with both of them.

"We had very good meetings and I can honestly say that the voices of the people of Pembrokeshire have been heard loud and clear in Westminster."

Nick Bourne added: "The consultation process has been extended, which is good news, and I will be pressing the Minister to take into account the special circumstances of the Haven."

NO DECISIONS YET

South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart, who took part in the Milford Haven Coastguard rally on Saturday, said: "I was delighted to take part in the event and it was clearly passionate, determined and well-organised.

"I discussed the reorganisation with Shipping Minister Mike Penning last week and this is by no means a done deal; there is a genuine consultation going on and no decisions have yet been taken.

"I would encourage everyone to take part in the Government consultation and make their views known."

GREAT TURNOUT

Labour Assembly candidates Terry Mills and Christine Gwyther also attended Saturday's Coastguard Rally on the mackerel stage in Milford Docks where a crowd of around 350 gathered to show their support for our coastguards.

Christine said: "It was a great turnout - from the town of Milford, but also from all over Pembrokeshire and further afield. There was a contingent from Holyhead, led by their MP Albert Owen. Holyhead coastguard operations centre is also threatened with closure and they came to show their solidarity with us.

"From the reaction of the crowd, it is clear that local people will not let our coastguard operations centre go without a fight. I am proud to be part of a campaign which has so much heart and soul, but also has a wealth of expert knowledge. It is this knowledge which we are using to help people who want to respond to the consultation.

"The local media have been brilliant in highlighting the issue and helping to get people involved. Now we are going one step further and asking the Maritime and Coastguard Agency if they will accept consultation responses through our local newspapers. That would mean everyone can get involved, whether you have a computer or not. The consultation period runs up until May 6, which means we can still get people's concerns heard. This ship isn't going down without a fight!"

Terry said: "I am proud of Pembrokeshire for taking such a spirited stand on this vital issue. Every time I go out with the petition there are people queuing up to sign. There is real passion about this campaign, and that passion is clearly catching on.

"This battle is not lost and we have another five weeks or so to gather support and momentum. I would like to thank the local media for supporting us so steadfastly. It's lovely to get the TV cameras in sometimes, too, but it's that local support that keeps us going."