Man held after ‘unknown substance’ spree at castle

A man has been arrested following a series of incidents which saw a container filled with an “unknown substance” left at a Welsh castle.

The 64-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance after five incidents at Pembroke Castle, in Pembrokeshire, which police are treating as “a series of hoax incidents”.

Officers have been called to a number of incidents at the castle over recent weeks.

The castle was evacuated and closed for the day on Friday, July 13, due to the discovery of a suspicious item. Footpaths around the castle were closed off and a chemical unit was sent to the scene.

The castle was cordoned off for a second time on Friday, July 20, while a footpath running beneath the castle was cordoned off on Monday.

Police say they are treating a total of five incidents as linked and that on each occasion an “unknown substance” was found near the castle.

“Police and other agencies have used significant resources responding to these five incidents,” said Superintendent Ross Evans, of Dyfed-Powys Police.

“We are treating them as linked. On each occasion an unknown substance has been left in a container at Wogan’s Cavern, which is located behind the castle near the Mill Pond.

“We are waiting for forensic test results but are treating this as a series of hoax incidents.”