Seaside tragedy (From Western Telegraph)

Seaside tragedy

A five-year-old boy drowned off Saundersfoot on Saturday morning when he drifted several hundred yards out to sea in a toy inflatable dinghy. The boy, on holiday from Herefordshire with his parents, panicked and jumped overboard - watched by his father who was desperately trying to reach him.

He was plucked from the sea by a man and his daughter on board a 14-foot sailing dinghy, who began resuscitation before the arrival of Tenby inshore lifeboat.

Desperate resuscitation attempts continued by the crew, coastguards and ambulance paramedics and Tenby GP Dr Iwan Griffiths, who was out in his motor craft and landed on the beach to help. The boy, who has not been named, was flown by a RAF Chivenor helicopter to Withybush Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1 pm.

Said coastguard sector officer Dave Miller: This terrible tragedy must go as a warning to parents who allow their child to have a toy inflatable, to hold on to a safety line at all times.