Stay out of the sea: warning as man dies amid strong rip currents and 70mph winds
POLICE have warned holidaymakers not to swim or surf off the Cornwall coast after dangerous conditions saw a man die.
The man, in his 50s, was attempting to rescue his teenage son but died after getting into difficulty in the sea at Loe Bar near Gunwalloe on the Lizard peninsula. His teenage son was taken to hospital but is not thought to be in a life-threatening condition.
Ps Dave Pearce, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “No one should be entering the water in the next couple of days. The sea conditions coupled with spring tides and high winds make things so dangerous.”
The force warned the public to be wary of “storm conditions” across their region, particularly on the coast where waves could reach up to 9ft high.
It said the strong winds of Storm Ellen could bring “dangerous seas and strong rip currents” and urged beachgoers to check tide times, stick to lifeguarded beaches, be aware watersports may be unsafe and avoid storm-watching.
The Met Office has also warned campers to be careful in the 70mph winds whipped up by the first named summer storm since naming began.
Emma Salter, a Met Office meteorologist, said it was “unusual” to have such stormy weather at this time of year and emphasised that weather warnings were issued based on the potential impact of conditions.
Beachgoers formed a human chain at Durdle Door in Dorset to rescue a swimmer struggling against the tide.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, began frantically waving and shouting for help towards people on the beach. Within minutes, the chain reached the man and brought him back to the beach.
Emily Foote, 27, a teacher from Bridport, said: “Loads of people just sprinted to the sea and formed this chain but they were being battered by the waves, too. The foam was like a washing machine and at one point I thought we were going to end up with 10 casualties in the sea rather than one.
A Lulworth Coastguard spokesman said: “With the large waves and spring tides of late, we strongly discourage sea swimming and playing around in the surf, especially on exposed beaches such as Durdle Door. The undertow is very powerful and will have no trouble taking you off your feet.”
‘Loads of people sprinted into the sea and formed this chain but they were battered by the waves’