AN off-duty nurse, a mother and beach patrol staff have been praised for their quick actions which helped save the lives of three people in rough seas off Blackpool.
Beach patrol staff were called to two separate incidents on Sunday, after a man got into difficulty opposite Manchester Square and two teenagers were swept into the sea close to North Pier.
Both incidents saw the casualties assisted by members of the public and community leaders said they were fortunate to escape without injury.
Coun Gary Coleman, cabinet member with responsibility for beach patrol at Blackpool Council, said: “It’s clear these three people had very lucky escapes thanks to our beach patrol team and the emergency services.
“They’ve done a fantastic job and should be congratulated.”
The unknown medic stepped in to help crews who had pulled the man, believed to be in his 20s, from the sea at 2.10pm on Sunday afternoon.
The man, who was visiting the area from Doncaster with friends, had got into difficulty after going in to the water over safety chains at Manchester Square.
Beach patrol workers Alex Garrod and Clive Hughes pulled the man, who had stopped breathing, from the water and used a defibrillator, brought by paramedics, to resuscitate him.
Click here to register with The Gazette website to enable you to comment on stories.
Beach patrol crews were then called to another incident under North Pier at 3pm, to help two teenage boys.
The youngsters, aged 13 and 15 and from Blackpool, got into trouble after playing on the sea steps.
Paramedics and coastguards pulled the boys to shore using safety lines, as a mother with a pram helped at the scene.
The teenagers had been warned about sea safety earlier in the afternoon after being seen wave dodging.
Coun Coleman continued: “The team tries to educate and warn residents and visitors against the dangers of the sea but unfortunately not everyone takes their advice.
“It’s always worrying to hear of instances like this and in many cases there isn’t a happy ending. The warning signs are there for a reason and if they are ignored people can very quickly end up in a serious situation.”
Nicola Shaw, 43, the mother of one of the teenage boys, contacted The Gazette to warn others about the dangers of the sea. She said: “I want to warn children about the dangers of playing near the sea. My boy was lucky he got out.
“I’d like to thank the lady who helped my son too.”
The Gazette launched its Think Sea Safety campaign earlier this year following the death of teenager David Sagar, from Lewtas Street, who fell from the sea wall near his home in North Shore.
Follow us on twitter @The_Gazette and like our page on facebook to keep up with all the latest newsand