June 12, 2023 - 1516 views
Saturday (10th June) proved extremely busy for the safety services across Denbighshire and the North Wales coast.
With a slight offshore breeze and an incoming tide, many people were unaware of the tide filling the gullies behind the sandbanks, cutting them off. This included people who were fully clothed; and families with pushchairs.
The RNLI lifeguards were all in action, but as soon as one group was shepherded off, another group further down tried to wade out.
The lifeboat crew were contacted by the Coastguard co-ordinating centre in Holyhead, asking if the volunteers could also patrol the beach and the shoreline to aid the lifeguards. The volunteer coastguards were also tasked.
Over 50 people were assisted back to the shore, mostly under their own steam, but shadowed by the rescue services until they were safe back on the main beach. The area covered extended way beyond the area marked out with flags by the lifeguards.
Coxswain martin Jones of Rhyl lifeboat crew said "It is always advisable to stay and swim in the length between the lifeguard flags, to enable people to be supervised fully. The other services were more than willing to assist to enable safe return to the beach. If in any doubt, discuss your plans with the lifeguards or local coastguards."
