David Ejimofor: Beach safety questions asked after pier death

David Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot, on 19 June

Questions of safety at a beach have been raised by the family of a teenager who died there.

David Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot, on 19 June after jumping from a pier after exams.

Rebecca Mansell, for the family, told a pre-inquest hearing there were unanswered questions surrounding his death.

She said on Wednesday she had seen CCTV footage from the day and an event timeline was needed for a full inquest.

The hearing, at Swansea's Guildhall, was told police were in the area at the time of the incident, but it was unclear who called the emergency services.

It heard David had entered the water voluntarily.

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Ms Mansell told the hearing there was a warning sign at the end of a breakwater but it could not be seen clearly from all angles.

Questions were also raised about whether available life rings were up to standard.

Dr Peter Ellis, of pier owners Associated British Ports (ABP), told the inquest the RNLI carried out a risk assessment of it every five years.

A hearing was told there were "unanswered queries" surrounding his death

Dr Ellis said, after the last one in 2018, the RNLI did not advise ABP to install fencing.

In 2021 someone fell in accidentally, he told the hearing, and the ABP decided to reinstate fencing and install a gate.

The inquest heard a week after David's death, on 27 June, a meeting was held between agencies including the police, Neath Port Talbot council, the RNLI and ABP.

Dr Ellis told the inquest "almost immediately" it was decided to see whether something could be done to "improve safety", and the RNLI suggested changing the signs near the pier.

Coroner Colin Phillips said the next hearing would be in three to four months.