Liverpool Family Dramatically Saved by Crosby RNLI Lifeguards Deliver Christmas Gifts to Rescuers
Grandmother Lynne Burns has been reunited with the RNLI lifeguards who rescued her and her family, when they got into difficult at Crosby beach. Lynne handed over Christmas gifts to RNLI lifeguard Andy Jordan, one of those who came to their aid along with RNLI lifeguard Katie McMillan.
Lynne visited Crosby to offer seasonal greetings to the team who will be patrolling the beach throughout the Christmas period. She is also reminding people to take extra care if out and about over the festive break after she, her pregnant daughter, two-year-old grandson, husband and son-in-law got stuck in the mud whilst out walking to the popular Antony Gormley statues.
She said: ‘My pregnant daughter was the first to experience the sinking feeling of mud beneath her feet, I pulled her out only to then hit mud myself. She pulled me out. It became obvious that we were in danger.
‘Then we saw the RNLI truck that had been patrolling stop and point in our direction. An amazing lady, who I now know was Katie, calmly talked my husband, who was closest, to safety. She then came out through the mud to help us. She helped us remove footwear and physically supported us all across the dangerous mud. She was so calm and reassuring and enabled us all to return to safety. I cannot thank her enough and am so grateful that people such as her are on the lookout to keep us all safe. I will never forget her.
‘Returning to Crosby has really been quite emotional, and when I heard these amazing lifeguards are on duty 365 days a year and working Christmas day, it made me more determined to say thank you and offer them a small token of our appreciation. Our Christmas this year could have looked very different had they not been there for us. I’m so grateful to them and urge people to support the RNLI’s Christmas appeal to ensure they can keep up the amazing work they do.’
RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Andy Jordan was also involved in the rescue. He was delighted to have received a gift and thrilled to be reunited with Lynne and her family. They also took the opportunity to Facetime Katie which was an emotional call. He said:
‘It really is quite rare for us to be reunited with those we rescue so we are incredibly grateful to Lynne for making the trip here and for her kind gift. We’re just pleased we were able to help and will be providing the same service this Christmas as we do 365 days a year at Crosby, which is the only RNLI beach which is lifeguarded all year, and does become particularly busy over Christmas with people enjoying walks and children enjoying their new toys.
‘The main risk on Crosby beach is people out walking out to the statues and getting cut off by the tide or stuck in the mud, as Lynne and her family did. A lot of the work we’ll do over the holiday period will be prevention – ensuring people are aware of the risks so they can enjoy the Christmas period safely with their families.
‘We’d really encourage people to check the tide times and remain within 50m of the promenade when enjoying the beach and be aware of the risks, specially the mud. If you do find yourself in trouble, our advice is to keep as still as possible and call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
Two RNLI lifeguards will be patrolling Crosby beach on Christmas Day and are prepared to swap turkey and tinsel for offering safety advice and responding to emergency calls this Christmas. In order to ensure everyone has a safe period, the RNLI is offering the following advice.
Plan your trip:
• Always seek local advice about safe areas to walk, check the tide and weather forecast and plan your route accordingly
• Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back
• Always take a means of calling for help
• Use your eyes: if it looks soft or looks like mud, it probably is, so stay off it
If you become stuck in mud:
• Try to spread your weight as evenly as possible across the surface
• Avoid moving and stay as calm as you can
• Discourage other people from attempting to rescue you, since without the proper equipment they could become stuck too
• If you have a mobile phone, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. If you don’t, shout for help.
For further safety advice, please visit:
(https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/coastal-walking)
https://coastguardsafety.campaign.gov.uk/#Mud%20and%20Quicksand).
To donate to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, visit: RNLI.org/Xmas
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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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