Fatal crash parents' rescue plea

Steffan Walters died in the crash and his two sisters were injured

The parents of a five-year-old who died in pile-up two months ago have condemned plans to reduce emergency fire services in Llanelli.

Meinir and Darren Walters's son Steffan was killed in the four-vehicle crash near the town and they say they would have lost their three-year-old daughter too - had it not been for the quick response of firefighters.

The couple, from Cefneithin, and their three children were trapped inside their car following the four-vehicle crash on the Hendy link road near the M4 on 5 January.

"We were totally trapped and there was nothing we could do to get to our own children who were in the back of the car," Mrs Walters told a meeting in Llanelli on Thursday to discuss the fire service changes.

We want the care we had to continue to be there for other people Darren Walters

She said the specialist rescue tender from Llanelli arrived at the scene six minutes after being called and firefighters were able to cut them out.

Her daughter Lowrie would have died if rescuers had not arrived so quickly, she said.

"My daughter stopped breathing - my three-and-a-half year old girl."

Lowrie is now recovering at home after being taken to hospital critically ill.

"She is coming along well, but she is asking about the boy constantly," said Mr Walters.

Their youngest daughter Erin was also injured.

Meinir and Darren Walters pleaded for services to remain unchanged

"I just want to do something in memory of my boy," said Mr Walters.

"We want the care we had to continue to be there for other people."

Mid and West Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer Douglas Mackay told nearly 100 people at the meeting that their plan, Making our Community Safer, would improve services and save lives.

The controversial issue in Llanelli is the relocation of the rescue tender to Carmarthen.

Mr Mackay said it would free-up a vehicle to cover mid Wales and Llanelli would be covered from either Morriston in Swansea or Carmarthen.

Douglas Mackay told the meeting the changes would save lives

"We accept that there are very deep-seated emotional issues involved in some of this," said Mr Mackay.

"Our emergency response is first class and will remain so.

"We have three of these vehicles in one little corner of the brigade but none in the rest or our area."

More than a quarter of the road traffic accidents the service dealt with were in Powys which did not have a rescue tender.

Traditional fire engines were now very well-equipped with the tools used in rescuing car crash victims.

But fire union leaders and many at the meeting said they were unconvinced.

Fire Brigade Union Divisional Secretary Neil McPherson said he would welcome additional resources in mid Wales, but not at the expense of moving them from Llanelli.

"People will remain trapped in vehicles, trapped in machinery and trapped in trains longer," he said.