More than 20 children reported missing on Lincolnshire beaches in ONE DAY
More than 20 children were reported missing on beaches in Lincolnshire yesterday (August 13) – with the majority being in Skegness.
Missing children reports made to lifeguards, the Coastguard and Lincolnshire Police also came in from Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea beach.
Lincolnshire RNLI Lifeguards are again issuing advice to parents on how to keep their young ones safe.
“Today alone, our team dealt with over 20 separate missing children,” Lifeguard Supervisor Arun Gray said. “The majority were in the space of a three-hour window, this afternoon. All were reunited safe and well with their families.
“Whilst no one intentionally loses their children, this highlights that it can easily happen at the beach with busy crowds.”
It proved to be an exceptionally busy day for the team yesterday, responding to more than 20 missing children, alongside other first aid and safety incidents.
Arun said the reaction from parents is “typically panic and distress” – and reminded families that they offer free ‘Sandi Starfish’ wristbands to help with such situations.
"You can write your contact details on them and tell your children to come to us if you are lost,” he explained. “We can then give you a call and reunite you both straight away. It also gives children a nudge to think about losing you in the first place! Pick them up from any of our lifeguard units.”
On how easy it can be for parents to lose sight of their children, he added: “The beaches were very busy, so a lot of the time children go to the water, turn around and lose their bearings because of the volume of the people - which is why we encourage to agree a meeting point when arriving to the beach in case children do get lost.
He added: “Our policy is to contact the Coastguard after our initial search, for some extra assistance in looking. That also triggers a call to the police at the same time. Both Skegness and Mablethorpe Coastguard teams were involved in some of the searches.”
The Sandi Starfish wristbands can be picked up from Lifeguard stations, Coastguard stations and local shops and venues displaying the ‘Sandi Starfish’ poster.