Children caught in rip tide (From Western Telegraph)

Children caught in rip tide

FIVE Narberth children caught in a rip tide off Morfa Bychan beach last Wednesday were lucky to escape with minor injuries.

The youngsters were playing in the sea at the small bay, near Pendine, when the incident occurred.

Their mothers - Jane Evans, Sarah Wall and Gerda Bryant - had taken them to the beach for a day out.

Daniel Evans and Owain Bryant, both aged 12, struggled against the current and got back to shore. They raised the alarm that David Wall, 11, Hannah Evans, 12, and Esther Bryant, ten, were in serious difficulty.

Nine-year-old Lily Wall felt the pull of the rip, but made her way to dry land unaided. Her sister Natasha, six, was splashing about in shallow water unaffected by the current. "The beach was virtually deserted," said Hannah's mum Jane. "Sarah ran into the water to rescue her son, David, Hannah and Esther."

Meanwhile, Hannah was attempting to tow Esther - who was tiring quickly - towards the beach.

"Sarah grabbed Esther, then lost her again," said Jane. "David was on a bodyboard, being swept away before Sarah's eyes."

Brave Sarah finally managed to grab the leash on David's board and get hold of the girls. The exhausted foursome then formed a human chain and made their way back to shore. Daniel and Owain waded into the sea to help them to safety.

"It lasted about half an hour," said Jane. "It was a huge struggle."

Apart from cuts and bruises - from being dragged along the sea floor - and the effects of shock, Sarah and the children were unharmed.

"We have bathed at that beach for years, and we have never experienced anything like it," said Jane. "We always warn the children not to go too far out, and they don't; they're pretty sensible."

The shaken youngsters have said they do not want to go to Morfa Bychan again.

A Coastguard spokesman said the rip tide may have been a result of freak weather conditions brought about by a tropical storm.

"The wind direction on the day of the incident was south-easterly, which is quite unusual for Pembrokeshire," he said. "We had quite a few rip tides around that date."

The spokesman explained that, if caught in a rip tide, strong swimmers should swim for shore at a 45 angle to the current.

Weak swimmers should swim at a 90 angle to the current and escape its influence - rip tides tend to affect only a small area - before making for dry land.