Landslips warning to walkers as mother and daughter rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI
A warning to coastal walkers about the dangers of being cut off by the tide because of landslips has been issued by the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
The town’s lifeboat crew were called out twice today (Sat) following reports of four people in trouble.
In the first case, just after 3pm, two people managed to walk to safety from Seven Rock Point west of Lyme Regis harbour.
But only minutes later a mother and her ten-year-old daughter were cut off because of a landslip east of the town as they tried to walk from Lyme Regis to Charmouth looking for fossils.
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks himself raised the alarm after spotting Hester Brough and her daughter Iona in difficulties east of the new sea wall.
Mr Marks said: “The couple had started their walk two hours before high tide but landslips following heavy rain are reducing safe areas ashore and increasing the risk of being cut off earlier.”
One lifeboat crew member, Rich Tilley swam ashore to assist the pair. Then the crew’s X-boat – a ten-foot inflatable – was rowed ashore to pick them up and transfer them to the lifeboat.
Hester Brough, on holiday from Bathampton, Somerset, said “I am a little embarrassed, but we were so relieved to see the lifeboat crew. We won’t be walking in that direction again now that we know about the landslips.Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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