Warning after "madness" on the coast
Coastguards across the south today condemned the ''stupidity'' and ''madness'' of those who recklessly enjoy the coast by engaging in tombstoning and taking to the sea while drunk.
At 3pm yesterday, a man aged in his 20s suffered a serious spinal injury when he jumped from a 25ft cliff.
The tombstoner was rescued from the water by the coastguard team.
He was strapped to a spinal board and taken to hospital by a rescue helicopter in a serious condition and as he slipped in and out of consciousness.
The drama happened at Sharrow Point in Devon.
A Coastguard spokesman said that members of the public reported that the victim, from Plymouth, had been drinking heavily before making the jump.
Dave Scullion, watch manager at Brixham Coastguard, said: ''This is one way to ruin not only a pleasant afternoon for yourself, but very possibly the rest of your life.
''Tombstoning is madness whichever way you look at it."
In a separate incident, a young couple had to be rescued and treated by paramedics after they drunkenly took to the sea near Poole, in a dinghy without any oars in the early hours of today.
A female friend alerted the Coastguard at 3am after her friends, a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, from Verwood, set off in the white wooden dinghy from Studland beach.
In the darkness, the friend became scared for their safety after she lost sight of them.
Two lifeboats from Swanage launched a search for the pair who had been drinking heavily and had set up to sleep on the beach during the night, according to the Coastguard.
The pair were rescued at 4am after another group heard shouting coming from the sea and a lifeboat found the couple both in the water with the dinghy having sunk.
Both were treated by an ambulance called to the scene and the woman was taken to hospital slipping in and out of consciousness.
Bruce Lack, watch manager at Portland Coastguard said: ''Drink and stupidity played major parts in this incident with the two young people in serious danger of losing their lives as a result.
"From taking a boat with no oars to having no lifejackets or means of communication in the darkness in open sea is sheer madness fuelled by drink and bravado.
"We cannot stress enough how dangerous this kind of game can be, and that it is only at this time of year the sea is slightly warming, but not enough to put you beyond danger of severe hypothermia after prolonged immersion.
"The dulling of the senses by alcohol coupled with the cold shock of unexpectedly plunging into sea water can be a killer."
11:00am Sunday 11th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Tony, Sholing on 6:01pm Sun 11 May 08
I hope these irresponsible idiots will be made to re-imburse every penny of their rescue costs and be made to compensate the brave volunteers who risked their lives to save them! Maybe a 3 month prison sentence would also help them to see the error of their ways!![italic]italic[/italic]
I hope these irresponsible idiots will be made to re-imburse every penny of their rescue costs and be made to compensate the brave volunteers who risked their lives to save them! Maybe a 3 month prison sentence would also help them to see the error of their ways!!
Posted by: paul b on 6:02pm Sun 11 May 08
The spelling is awful
Posted by: Sue, Southampton on 6:21pm Sun 11 May 08
They should be made to do community service along the beach every weekend. They could pick up litter and bottles. If they are not prepared to do this, they should fundraise for the coastguards.
They should be made to do community service along the beach every weekend. They could pick up litter and bottles. If they are not prepared to do this, they should fundraise for the coastguards.
Posted by: Denzil, Chilworth on 7:48pm Sun 11 May 08
These coastguards think they are amazing just because they are good at swimming. I went down to Bournemouth today and one tried robbing my beer. I simply told him to jog on. The beach is no fun unless you are hammered.
These coastguards think they are amazing just because they are good at swimming. I went down to Bournemouth today and one tried robbing my beer. I simply told him to jog on. The beach is no fun unless you are hammered.
Posted by: Sceptic, Waterside on 8:07pm Sun 11 May 08
[quote][bold]Denzil[/bold] wrote:
These coastguards think they are amazing just because they are good at swimming. I went down to Bournemouth today and one tried robbing my beer. I simply told him to jog on. The beach is no fun unless you are hammered.[/quote] Denzil, Iv'e just read your other post too. How come you're not funny anymore?
Denzil wrote:
These coastguards think they are amazing just because they are good at swimming. I went down to Bournemouth today and one tried robbing my beer. I simply told him to jog on. The beach is no fun unless you are hammered.
Denzil, Iv'e just read your other post too. How come you're not funny anymore?
Posted by: Tony (tongue slightly in cheek), Sholing on 8:35pm Sun 11 May 08
I wouldn't mind getting a bit **** on the beach but i always have to drive! I could walk to the Weston shore but it wouldn't be the same as Southbourne[italic]italic[/italic] in the shadow of those tower blocks, would it?
I wouldn't mind getting a bit **** on the beach but i always have to drive! I could walk to the Weston shore but it wouldn't be the same as Southbourne in the shadow of those tower blocks, would it?
Posted by: dave hythe, hythe on 9:34pm Sun 11 May 08
Denzil you echo legend - wait until low tide and then try tombstoning yourself. Tell me where and when so i can put it on you tube.
Denzil you echo legend - wait until low tide and then try tombstoning yourself. Tell me where and when so i can put it on you tube.
Posted by: Bambi on 9:38am Mon 12 May 08
I love all these "they should be made to pay for the rescue" comments that morons drag out every time the emergency services are used. If you want to take that line of thinking to its logical conclusion, hey, let's all just abandon "society" and "taxes", and make the emergency services just another profit-making enterprise. Then you fools can happily moan about having to find £2000 for an ambulance when you crash your tax-payers friggin' Volvo
(cue the usual retorts from sub-normal idiots who think they've got an opinion)
I love all these "they should be made to pay for the rescue" comments that morons drag out every time the emergency services are used. If you want to take that line of thinking to its logical conclusion, hey, let's all just abandon "society" and "taxes", and make the emergency services just another profit-making enterprise. Then you fools can happily moan about having to find £2000 for an ambulance when you crash your tax-payers friggin' Volvo
(cue the usual retorts from sub-normal idiots who think they've got an opinion)
Posted by: King Mush, Woolston on 1:14am Tue 13 May 08
[quote][bold]Bambi[/bold] wrote:
I love all these "they should be made to pay for the rescue" comments that morons drag out every time the emergency services are used. If you want to take that line of thinking to its logical conclusion, hey, let's all just abandon "society" and "taxes", and make the emergency services just another profit-making enterprise. Then you fools can happily moan about having to find £2000 for an ambulance when you crash your tax-payers friggin' Volvo (cue the usual retorts from sub-normal idiots who think they've got an opinion)[/quote] Calm down Bambi. WE are all sad that hunters shot your mom in the woods but it wasnt our fault.....
Bambi wrote:
I love all these "they should be made to pay for the rescue" comments that morons drag out every time the emergency services are used. If you want to take that line of thinking to its logical conclusion, hey, let's all just abandon "society" and "taxes", and make the emergency services just another profit-making enterprise. Then you fools can happily moan about having to find £2000 for an ambulance when you crash your tax-payers friggin' Volvo (cue the usual retorts from sub-normal idiots who think they've got an opinion)
Calm down Bambi. WE are all sad that hunters shot your mom in the woods but it wasnt our fault.....
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