With the sun finally making an appearance, and coinciding with some big surf conditions, the RNLI lifeguards in the south west are preparing themselves for a busy few days on the region’s beaches. RNLI lifeguards at Perranporth beach in Cornwall rescued 15 people in the space of five minutes this morning (Wednesday 5 August) after the large swell and surging currents dragged them out of their depth. While the RNLI lifeguards in Bude were forced to briefly close Summerleaze beach in order to redeploy lifeguards to Crooklets beach to help assist in rescuing 20 people who were caught in a rip current.

As the tide came in, more rescues took place along the north Cornwall coastline, some involving the RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew.

The incident on Perranporth happened at around 11.30am, half an hour before low tide.

RNLI lifeguard Ben Gardiner says;

‘Conditions at low tide on Perranporth are always tricky due to the formation of the sandbanks which help create the rip currents, so we always try make sure we keep a small bathing area and put on extra patrols. I was doing a routine water patrol on the Rescue Water Craft (RWC), while RNLI lifeguard Adam Garland and RNLI lifeguard supervisor Andy Thomas were at the waters edge in the patrol truck.

I had just finished speaking to a bodyboarder who appeared to be drifting out of the area, when 15 people, adults and children were suddenly all caught in the same rip current and began struggling to get back within their depth.’

RNLI lifeguard supervisor Andy Thomas immediately sent in RNLI lifeguards Rachel Pascoe and Dan Goodway in on the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB), and Adam Garland, Steve Gregory and Giles Collier with rescue tubes. Between them the RNLI lifeguards bought all 15 of the casualties safety back to shore.

Andy  says; ‘We have around five to six foot of surf running today and the big sets of waves coming in mean that the bathers who were in ankle deep water, are very quickly up to their waists or higher and can easily be dragged out of their depth by a rip current. Once we had the casualties back on the beach, we got everyone out of the water, and closed the bathing area for about 20 minutes while we reassessed the conditions and found a suitable place to move the red and yellow flags.

This is the first bit of really sunny weather we’ve had since the schools broke up, on Perranporth we’ve got about 8,000 on the beach, and 2,000 in the water. This is coupled with the big surf and spring tides, and I am sure the other beaches up the coast will be having an equally busy time today and over the next couple of days.’

Meanwhile up in Bude, RNLI lifeguard supervisor Martyn Fry closed Summerleaze beach in order to deploy all his lifeguards to Crooklets beach where the RNLI lifeguards rescued over 20 people who were caught in a rip current at around 2pm this afternoon.

Martyn says;

‘We’re hoping the sun will last into the weekend and expecting the surf conditions to remain over the next few days. As usual we’d advise anyone planning to swim to visit a lifeguarded beach, and its really important with the large surf and water movement that bathers make an effort to stay within the red and yellow flags and keep within waist depth water.’

On Sennen, RNLI lifeguards rescued 15 people caught in the rip current, and the RNLI Inshore lifeboat launched to two surfers caught out the back of the surf, unable to get back to shore.

RNLI lifeguards at Godrevy near Gwithian, and the St Ives Inshore lifeboat crew went to neighbouring beach, Top Cove on the request of the coastguard after three children and three members of the public, who are thought to have gone in to help the children, got into difficulties.

At Constantine on the north coast of Cornwall, RNLI lifeguards dealt with two mass rescues, when at different states of the tide the sudden surges in the waves caused rip currents. The first incident happened in the morning and involved around 20 people, while the second incident was during the busy lunchtime period and involved around 50 people.

David Hooper, RNLI senior lifeguard says;

‘It sounds very dramatic, but no one was in serious danger, the lifeguards simply assisted bathers to get back to the beach safe and sound. We are highly trained and have the best equipment, so people should be assured that they are in safe hands, however, the incidents today should remind people to visit a lifeguarded beach and to stay between the red and yellow flags, and importantly listen to the lifeguards who know what they are doing.’

Notes to editors

• In 2008, RNLI lifeguards in the south west, responded to 8,424 incidents on the beach, aiding 9,802 people and saving 39 lives.
• The RNLI is a registered charity, which aims to save lives at sea. It relies on voluntary contributions and legacies to ensure its lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews have the very best training and equipment.
• The RNLI’s South West Lifeguard Appeal is part of the ‘Life first’ campaign which was launched in 2008, and aims to raise £500,000 between 2009 and 2012 toward the cost of providing RNLI lifeguards on over 90 beaches in the south west

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Amy Caldwell, RNLI Lifeguard Press Officer on 07920 818 807 or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336064