RNLI Mablethorpe lifeguard rescues bodyboarder from rocks

Following a wave of hot weather on Saturday 17 July, Mablethorpe beach saw a swarm of swimmers and bodyboarders hit the beach. With the sandy beach full of visitors, RNLI lifeguard Arthur Jackson remained on his rescue board patrolling the water throughout the day.

At around 1pm, Arthur noticed that a young male bodyboarder, who had been swimming between the red and yellow flags, was struggling in the water. The strong offshore wind coupled with the tidal drift swept the boy out to sea and away from the red and yellow flags.

The charity’s lifeguard swam towards the boy as the sea continued to carry him towards a rocky structure. The bodyboarder tried to fight against the current and began panicking until Arthur reached him.

Arthur quickly calmed the boy down, before putting him on the rescue board and paddling him back to safety. Once ashore, the RNLI Mablethorpe lifeguard team gave the casualty a series of medical checks, but the lifeguards quickly established that the boy luckily had not sustained any injuries.

Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Arun Gray praised the boy for visiting a lifeguarded beach: ‘Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable, with strong winds quickly drifting you out of the red and yellow flag zones.

'However, it was great that the young man decided to swim at one of our lifeguarded beaches. This meant as soon as he found himself in trouble, one of our lifeguards was immediately on hand to assist him.’

If you find yourself swept out to sea at one of our lifeguarded beaches, stay calm and follow the RNLI’s Float to Live advice:

· Fight your instinct the thrash around

· Lean back, extend your arms and legs

· If you need to gently move them around to help you float

· Float until you can control your breathing

· Only then call for help or swim to safety

For more information please visit: https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety

Notes to editors

RNLI Mablethorpe lifeguard service has been operating since 2001. To learn more about the lifeguarded beach go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches/mablethorpe-beach

Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Arun Gray is available for interview.

Photo Credit

RNLI/Derry Salter

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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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