Family of off-duty lifeguards save three people in water

The family, pictured with lifeguard supervisor Leon Bennett (l), had been packing up from a barbecue when they spotted people in trouble in the water

A family of off-duty lifeguards rescued three people after they were in trouble in the water on Sunday.

Issey Barnes had been packing up a barbecue with her family on Treyarnon beach, near Padstow, when she spotted the swimmers in distress.

Ms Barnes said the casualties, a father and daughter, were "being smashed against the rocks" while the son was "waving in distress".

Henry Irvine, RNLI regional lifeguard lead for the South West, said the family were "extremely lucky" and it was a "stark reminder of the dangers faced when entering the water after lifeguard patrolling hours".

Ms Barnes said: "‘I could see the father was holding his daughter up out of the water, the effort of doing so was pushing him under.

"She was limp and clearly in shock. I managed to grab her and tow towards the beach whilst telling her father to swim away from the rocks, out of the rip and into the middle of the beach."

The RNLI has urged people visiting the coast to only enter the water at a lifeguarded beach between the red and yellow flags and during patrolling hours

'Extremely proud'

The lifeguard was helped by her father Gareth, sister Scarlet and twin sister Maisie - all off-duty RNLI lifeguards.

Ms Barnes continued: "The girl had swallowed a significant amount of water and her breathing was very rattley.

"The man and girl were advised to float on their backs whilst controlling their breathing."

Ms Barnes' twin sister was close behind and swam out to the father with a rescue tube, managing to take a hold of him and swim him to shore.

Sister Scarlet had commandeered a surfboard from a member of the public and secured the young girl on to the surfboard and swam her out of the rip using the board as a platform.

Maisie then gave casualty care to the father and his two children, including warming them up, administering oxygen to the girl and monitoring their vital signs.

The ambulance and coastguard were called, and the young girl was taken to hospital, with the other casualties advised to return to their holiday home.

Mr Irvine added: "It could very easily have been a different outcome had these off-duty RNLI lifeguards not been at the beach at that time.

"I am extremely proud of the Barnes family for their unwavering commitment to their job, and for saving these three lives."

He urged people visiting the coast to only enter the water at a lifeguarded beach between the red and yellow flags and during patrolling hours of 10:00 BST and 18:00 BST.