He died a hero, saving our babies
Dad rescued two of his children in riptide horror
A HERO father died saving his children when they got into difficulty swimming in the sea.
Jonathan Stevens, 36, went to the rescue of the two youngsters after they were caught in a riptide off Barmouth beach in North Wales on Sunday.
The father-of-seven, known as Joff, was able to get Lacey, 12, and Jack, ten, to shore.
But plasterer Mr Stevens, from Telford, Shropshire, had to be pulled from the sea and was taken to hospital, where he died.
Daughter Lauren, 11, said she rushed to lifeguards to tell them ‘my dad is drowning, please save him’, as she watched in horror with brother Joshua, four.
She told Sun Online: ‘They ran in to the water too and swam out to dad but by the time they got to him his head was just bobbing up and down in the water. He looked lifeless.
‘They got to him pretty quickly and swam in with him being carried between them. Then when they got close to the beach they put him on his feet. The water was waist high at this point.
‘Dad opened his eyes and looked over to me, Joshua, and Lacey and Jack, who by now were back with us and he gave us a smile.
‘But the next second he collapsed again and the lifeguards carried him in, laid him down on the sand and gave him CPR. He never opened his eyes again.
‘I think Dad had used his last bit of strength to open his eyes and smile at us and when he saw we were all okay he knew he could let go and die happily.’
Mr Stevens’ partner Laura Burford, 34, paid tribute to him last night, saying he had lost his life ‘bringing our babies back’.
She said: ‘I am absolutely devastated to say that I have lost the complete love of my life.
‘All seven of his beautiful kids have lost their dad. He died saving his kids’ lives in the sea. There are no words to describe the pain.’
The incident was one of many over the weekend.
A man in his 40s died after he was pulled from the sea at Pedn Vounder beach, near Porthcurno,
Cornwall, on Saturday and an 18-year-old boy died at Linton Falls on the River Wharfe near Grassington, North Yorkshire after he got into difficulty while out swimming.
In Scotland, two teenagers were rescued on Sunday after they drifted out to sea in the Moray Firth on an inflatable doughnut.
RNLI Kessock lifeboat was launched and Stornoway Coastguard helicopter flew to the scene. The teenagers, who were in the water off Ardersier, Invernessshire, were winched onto the helicopter and flown to shore to be treated by medics.
Douglas Munro, of RNLI Kessock, said: ‘The casualties were incredibly lucky to have been spotted by a walker on the beach who witnessed the teenagers drifting out to sea.’
Meanwhile, seven people were rescued after their fishing boat sank on Saturday. The lifeboat crew rescued the group northwest of Lochinver in Sutherland.
Melness Coastguard had to help the drivers of two cars who got stuck after driving out on to sand at Kyle of Tongue in Sutherland.
And 14 tourists were rescued after becoming stranded on Scolt Head Island off Brancaster in Norfolk. The party had walked a quarter of a mile out at low tide before they were cut off.
In Brighton, East Sussex, a search to find a missing kayaker entered its second day yesterday after the empty vessel and paddle were found.
Lifeboat and coastguard crews were dispatched in the operation.
In Scarborough, a ten-year-old boy survived for more than an hour at sea.
The child was reported missing on Friday and a lifeboat crew found him floating on his back near Vincent Pier, having been swept across the bay.
On Friday, HM Coastguard responded to more than 300 incidents across the UK – the highest in a single day for four years.
Julie-Anne Wood, duty operations director, said: ‘We’ll always do everything we can to rescue those in need.
‘All we ask in return is you take extra care at the co ast – it can be unmerciful to the unwary and even to those who know it well.’
‘He never opened his eyes again’