PORT AUTHORITY CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE ON DANGERS OF MODERN PORT

Milford Haven Port Authority has launched a hard-hitting campaign designed to educate local youngsters about the dangers of playing around the town’s Docks.

The Authority aims to prevent a repeat of scenes such as those of youngsters making life-threatening 40ft leaps off a moored trawler into just 6ft of water, which made national TV and newspaper headlines last year.

The campaign consists of large A1 aluminium signs placed at key points around Milford Haven Marina and Docks, carrying dramatic photographs showing the consequences of irresponsible behaviour. The signs carry the slogan Stupidity kills – don’t play around the port.

Port Authority representatives will also visit Milford Haven’s upper junior schools in July to drive the message home. A4 posters have already been distributed to Milford Haven Comprehensive and other local schools.

The dramatic full colour images show the potential effects of jumping into the water not just on youngsters, but on their parents and friends. One photograph shows a youngster diving onto a sharp piece of timber lying concealed beneath the surface; another portrays a distraught mother with the caption, “She always dismissed it as "Boys Will be Boys"'; a further image shows a policewoman comforting a young girl together with the caption “Impressive, DEAD impressive.”

Port Authority Community Officer Claire Palmer said something had to be done after the events of last summer. “A working port is a very dangerous place, and if there is a repeat of last year, there is a very real danger that there will be a fatality”

“We are determined to get the message across in a hard-hitting way before the summer holidays. Whilst the port has always been a busy area, additional traffic as a result of developments has meant this sort of misuse of the port has become highly dangerous.”

The Port Authority’s campaign has been designed with the support of the local Community Safety Partnership, with the images being put together with the help of performing arts pupils at the Pembrokeshire College and a local photographer and designer.