Live: Wales breaking news plus weather and traffic updates (Thursday, February 15)

‘Police incident’ on M4

The M4 Westbound entry slip road closed due to police incident at J28 A48 (Tredegar Park). According to traffic monitoring system INRIX, the A48 eastbound is also closed as confirmed by cameras and police.

Gwent Police posted on social media: “Avoid the area. The M4 J28 EB exit and the A48 EB Cleppa Park is currently closed.

Please avoid the area if possible and find alternative routes for your journey. Thank you.”

Accident cleared on M4

Traffic is easing after an earlier accident on M4 Eastbound from J46 A48 Clasemont Road (Llangyfelach) to J45 A4067 (Ynysforgan). Previous congestion to the westbound side as traffic passes.

Pedestrian, 84, dies after alleged hit and run

A pedestrian has died after an alleged hit and run in Newport. Gwent Police are investigating following a crash between a car and a pedestrian in which an 84, year old man, died after being taken to hospital.

The force is now appealing for information about the crash which happened on Cardiff Road, Newport, at around 4:50pm on Thursday, February 8. The collision involved a silver Hyundai i10 car – and a pedestrian.

The pedestrian has now been named as Charles Sully from Newport, his next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from specialist officers.

Full tribute to Charles here.

Roads and rail affected by bad weather

Roads across Wales are being affected by heavy rainfall with several accidents and instances of flooding reported.

Follow our live weather blog for the latest updates here.

Railway line is flooded

Rail passengers are being warned that due to flooding on the railway between Llanelli and Pembrey and Burry Port all lines are blocked.

There is a yellow weather warning for heavy rain in place across a large part of south Wales.

Accident causing Cardiff delays

An accident is causing some delays on one of the main routes out of Cardiff.

One lane is closed on the A4232 northbound between Culverhouse Cross and junction 33 of the M4 at Capel Llanilltern.

M4 accident causes long delays

An M4 accident that closed two lanes of the M4 is causing long delays. It had happened on a stretch of carriageway in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Traffic monitors showed that two lanes were shut westbound between junction 34 Miskin and junction 35 Pencoed. All lanes have now reopened but there is still some congestion in the area.

Roy Hodgson ‘taken ill’

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has been ‘taken ill’ during a training session, the club has said.

The former England boss took training on Thursday morning before falling ill. He was due to address the media at a press conference at 1.30pm but this has now been cancelled, with the club providing an update on his condition just over half an hour before the sit-down was meant to get under way.

Welsh hospital under ‘extreme pressure’

Swansea’s Morriston Hospital is under “extreme pressure”.

The health board is asking people not to attend the Emergency Department (A&E) unless “absolutely unavoidable”. Advice on accessing urgent care can be found here.

Fake parking tickets being left on cars

People are leaving bogus £70 parking tickets on vehicles in Bridgend.

Bridgend County Borough Council believes the realistic-looking tickets could have been left by someone trying to prevent motorists from parking outside or near their home.

Accident closes main Carmarthenshire road

An accident has closed the A48 from Pont Abraham to Cross Hands (eastbound) near Cross Hands Business Park.

Dyfed Powys Police say: “Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

The number of people being taken to hospital with coronavirus

There were 48 people admitted to hospital with coronavirus in the last week, according to data from Public Health Wales.

In the seven days leading up to February 11, 49 people were admitted to hospital with Covid, and a further eight people were admitted to critical care. More detail here.

M4 flood alert warning

Traffic Wales is warning of a flood alert on the M4.

One lane is closed eastbound from junction 43 Llandarcy to junction 42 Earlswood

New chief of crisis-hit fire service is accused of harassment

The man tasked with changing the culture of a crisis-hit fire service is being taken to court over allegations of harassment and discrimination. Stuart Millington was appointed last Friday as the interim chief of South Wales fire service.

Earlier this month the Welsh Government took over responsibility for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service after a damning report found it had tolerated sexual harassment. Read more here.

Murder arrest as woman found dead

Police have opened a murder investigation after the body of a woman was discovered. North Wales Police say officers were called by an ambulance service to a property in Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd.

They were called at around 11.50pm on Wednesday, February 14. A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso lifts lid on England choice

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has opened up on a whirlwind 12 months which has seen him thrusted into the England Six Nations side following a tug-of-war with Wales.

In a candid interview, Feyi-Waboso explained he deleted Instagram to block out the noise around his decision to represent England instead of Wales and told of his English roots Read more here.

Boy, 16, stabbed to death by masked attackers in park

A murder investigation has been launched in Bristol after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death leading police to establish a cordon at a park. The incident happened on Wednesday, February 14, according to Avon and Somerset Police.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after getting calls of a boy being injured around 6pm in the area of A420 West Street. The teenager was attacked by two masked people in Rawnsley Park, Easton, before he managed to escape to Stapleton Road where a motorist assisted him. However the boy collapsed and died in West Street. Police have declared a critical incident while they hunt those responsible.

Bristol commander superintendent Mark Runacres said: “Tragically we have lost another young life from our city in utterly horrific circumstances. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at what will be an unimaginably difficult time and officers will continue to support them.”

“We are committed to bringing those responsible to justice and we will be working tirelessly to that end. While we are keeping an open mind there is no clear evidence to suggest this is linked to other recent incidents in the city.”

DWP announces changes to universal credit for thousands next month

Changes to benefit payments are set to take place next month for thousands of people. The changes are due to the way Easter falls this year.

This year Easter takes place on Sunday, March 31, meaning Friday, March 29, is Good Friday. This means that Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) offices, job centres, and helplines will be shut and some payments are being moved to accommodate the bank holiday.

The way Good Friday falls payments going out on March 29 as well as those scheduled for April 1, which is Easter Monday, will land in accounts on the slightly earlier date of Thursday, March 28. This will apply to the following benefits:

• Attendance allowance

• Carer’s allowance

• Disability living allowance

• Income support

• Jobseekers allowance

• Pension credit

• Personal independence payment (PIP)

• State pension

• Universal credit

New recycling scheme for Cardiff

A newmethod of recycling is being rolled out to tens of thousands of homes across Cardiff.

Separated recycling is being introduced to 37,000 properties across the city, with the council carrying out targeted communications to the areas affected. Find out more details about the areas here.

Air ambulance lands at scene of crash

An air ambulance is at the scene of a serious crash in Flintshire. Social media reports say it has happened on the main road between Mold and Nercwys.

The Flightradar24 website shows an air ambulance has landed near the scene, shortly after 9.10am. Other emergency services are reportedly on scene.

One person taken to hospital after crash

One person has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a collision in the Vale of Glamorgan. Emergency services were called shortly after 6.30am to a two-vehicle road traffic collision on the B4270 at Splott Cross.

The road is closed in both directions between Llantwit Major and Wick.

Police say one man has been taken to the University Hospital of Wales with what are described as life-changing injuries.

Ireland suffer hammer blow before Wales game

Ireland star Hugo Keenan is set to miss his side’s Six Nations clash with Wales.

The 27-year-old, who has become one of the key men in Andy Farrell’s side, was forced off in the second half of their 36-0 win over Italy at the weekend, with an apparent knee injury. Read the rest of the rugby morning headlines here.

Temperatures up to 15C above average!

Exceptional warmth is not just limited to us here in the UK.

Temperatures across much of Europe will be five to 15 Celsius above normal for mid-February over the next few days.

Serious accident closes Vale of Glamorgan road

Police are at the scene of a serious collision in the Vale of Glamorgan. Wick Road is closed from the junction of St Donats Road to Llandow Industrial Estate.

South Wales Police say: “The road is currently closed in both directions between. It is expected to remain closed for some time.

“Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. Delays are expected in the area”.

Heavy congestion on the A4232

Traffic is slow on one of the main routes into Cardiff after a break down.

A tanker broke down on the southbound carriageway of the A4232. All lanes have re-opened but delays remain.

Drivers stuck for hours as ci ty centre multi-storey gridlocked

Drivers have been stuck for hours in a multi-storey car park in Cardiff with one describing scenes in the car park as “carnage.”

St David’s Car Park was blocked bumper to bumper on Valentines Day with the shopping centre blaming half term and congestion for the delays. Read more here.

UK economy enters recession

The UK economy entered into a recession at the end of 2023 after contracting by 0.3% in the final three months of the year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Anna Leach, deputy chief economist at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: “December’s GDP number suggests that the UK narrowly fell into a technical recession in the second half of the year. This brings to a close a pretty stagnant year for UK economic growth.

“The CBI’s most recent surveys suggest this year has started better than last year ended, with expectations for services and manufacturing in positive territory and the drag from higher interest rates expected to diminish.

Met Office forecast for Thursday

Another cloudy, wet day with some heavy rain this afternoon. Here is the full forecast for Wales today:

A cloudy start with some fog around coasts, and some drizzle over hills. A damp day with some heavy, showery outbreaks by the afternoon. Breezy around coasts to start though winds easing. Mild temperatures for the time of year. Maximum temperature 13 °C.

Heavy, showery outbreaks continuing into the evening before turning drier from the west leaving patchy cloud and some clear spells by morning. Staying mild overnight. Minimum temperature 9 °C.

Good morning

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