In some villages 75% of homes are empty during the winter

Three out of four properties in some communities are empty during the winter with knock-on effects for the elderly and young parents in particular.

Shops close and the bus services are less frequent outside holiday periods.

It was one of the issues discussed at the event held by Pembrokeshire Rural Outreach.

It makes it very difficult to keep a community active and alive when you don't have a resident population Bill Philpin

The organisation was formed 11 years ago due to concern about the high incidence of rural stress and suicide in the countryside.

Trained counsellor and farmer Joan Evans has been employed as an outreach worker for the group for the past 15 months.

When she took on the post she anticipated a lot of her time would be spent helping the farming community.

'Gloomy feeling'

Mrs Evans has spoken to over 100 different groups in Pembrokeshire - including farmers clubs and sixth form students at the local schools.

But her services have been increasingly needed in the small coastal villages of the county.

"In Pembrokeshire we have examples of seaside villages where only 40 of 200 dwellings are occupied for the whole year," she explained.

"This means that the bus service is non existent during the winter and village shops often close down for the winter months."

Little Haven resident Bill Philpin says the village is empty in winter

The former fishing village of Little Haven is one permanent residents say has been hit by holiday homes.

Bill Philpin, a county councillor who lives there, estimates 75% of properties are now holiday homes.

"It makes it very difficult to keep a community active and alive when you don't have a resident population," he said.

"This time of year you look outside and apart from the street lights there are very few lights on.

"It just gives the place a gloomy feeling.

"The shop closed ages ago and even if you want a paper you have to go to Broad Haven or have it delivered.

Working alone

"It's a lovely village and the people who are here are all very nice. But they are increasingly elderly and it is so isolated, it's not going to entice young families to live here all year even if they could afford the houses.

"You could not buy anything for under �200,000.

"There are at least six of us that I can think who if not 80 are approaching it. When we die our properties will go to holiday homes."

As chairman of the village hall he said the building is under-used and says when events are put on they are reliant on people travelling from neighbouring communities and farms.

"The answer is not easy but some where along the way people have to be alerted to the dangers of this."

Wednesday's conference was organised as part of Rural Health Week.

Speakers included Rory O'Sullivan, the Welsh assembly's head of agriculture policy, and Jane Randall-Smith, chief executive of the Institute of Rural Health.

Mr O'Sullivan talked about the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy - an issue Mrs Evans said is putting strain on both farmers and villagers.

She said farmers were having to lay-off help - meaning more were now working alone.

Ms Randell-Smith addressed the impact of change on rural health and wellbeing.

"Isolation is the biggest factor in it all," added Mrs Evans.