Holidaymakers Warned Of Hidden Dangers Lurking At The Beach

As families head to beaches near and far over the https://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/summer-holidays">summer holidays, lifeguards are sharing an important https://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/child-safety">safety reminder around digging holes on the beach. 

Building sandcastles and digging pits is a common beach day activity for kids and teens, but excavations that go deeper than knee-height can spell serious trouble. 

Earlier this year, the https://www.instagram.com/p/DW9IhwZDLrN/?img_index=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguards for south-east Devon warned of the “dangers of digging large holes in the sand”.

“What may seem like harmless holiday fun can quickly turn into a serious and even deadly situation,” they shared on Instagram.

Why are sand holes so dangerous?

Aside from being a trip hazard for beachgoers, lifeguards and https://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/pets">pets, safety experts warn that deep sand holes can collapse without warning, trapping the person (or animal) inside.

“When sand collapses, it rapidly fills any gaps and its weight can prevent a trapped person from freeing themselves,” said RNLI’s lifeguards.

“Sadly, incidents like this do happen, and emergency services are sometimes called to people who become trapped or injured.”

Their advice was for beachgoers to avoid digging large or deep holes on the beach, and to always fill in any holes before leaving.

Earlier this year, Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service (VBLS) https://www.instagram.com/p/DZqP7GzIERn/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shared a similar post on Instagram saying each year they see “countless deep holes left on the resort beach and outer beaches”.

Sharing a photo of a huge hole left by beachgoers, the lifesaving service urged people to “please keep holes no deeper than knee-deep on the shortest person in your group” and again advised to fill in any holes before leaving the beach.  

“A few minutes of cleanup can prevent injuries and help keep our beaches safe for everyone,” they ended. 

Other safety tips for the beach

https://www.rlss.org.uk/water-safety-at-the-beach" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Royal Life-Saving Society (RLSS) warns against taking ride-on inflatables in the sea, “because you could get caught by the wind and taken out of your depth, which would be extremely dangerous”.

Children are also encouraged to wear bright swimsuits.

A safety campaign from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/urgent-warning-over-swimwear-worn-33090108" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">On The Beach found two-thirds of children wear swimsuits in colours that are invisible or hard to see underwater, such as white, grey or blue.

“Swimwear should be https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-one-colour-of-swimsuit-you-should-never-buy-for-your-kid_uk_6800ed26e4b0e7e6a3f513dc">bright and/or fluorescent colours, such as pink, yellow, red, purple, or green, so that it is easy to spot,” added the RLSS.