BANK HOLIDAY HORROR

Teen girl, 17, and man die after being pulled from water in bank holiday tragedies on Cornwall coast

A MAN and a 17-year-old girl have died today in two separate tragedies on the Cornish coastline.

Emergency services confirmed they attended several incidents off the coast on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were called to reports of a number of people trapped under an inflatable boat in water near Porthilly Rock in Wadebridge at about 2.25pm on Monday.

Three casualties were taken to hospital and the teenage girl was later pronounced dead.

Separately, police were called to reports that a man had been pulled from the water by a member of the public at Treyarnon Bay in Padstow at about 2.30pm.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The incident was one of three along the Cornish coastline on Monday, when the RNLI did not have lifeguards on beaches.

Do you know what happened? Contact us on 0207 782 6245, or email joe.duggan@news.co.uk

Officers were also called to a third incident at around 2.30pm following reports that a man had been pulled from the water unconscious by surfers in Porthtowan, Truro.

He was transported to Treliske hospital by the Air Ambulance in a serious condition and is currently receiving treatment.

His next of kin is present.

Chief Inspector Ian Thompson said: "These are extremely upsetting circumstances and out thoughts go out to all involved.

"It has been a very tough day for local emergency services and we are asking for anyone with information on the above incidents to contact police."

RNLI URGES ACTION

Following the two deaths, the chief executive of the RNLI urged the Government to restrict access to the coast as the UK's coronavirus lockdown eases.

In an open letter, Mark Cowie said the lifting of restrictions in England had put the RNLI in an "impossible situation" in which they had to choose whether to put lifeguards or the public at risk.

He said that despite warning no lifeguards were on patrol lifeboat crews had their busiest weekend of the year so far with Brits flocking to packed beaches.

Mr Cowie wrote: "With thousands flocking to English beaches now lockdown restrictions have been eased, we must choose between keeping the public or our lifeguards safe," Mr Cowie wrote.

"Safety advice and warnings will only go so far when people are desperate to enjoy some freedom after weeks of lockdown.

"As a lifesaving charity, the RNLI cannot stop people going to beaches - but the Government can - before more lives are lost around our coast this summer."

Anyone with any information on the teenage girl's death is asked to contact police, quoting Log 525 25/05/20.

Witnesses for the incident at Treyarnon Bay should also contact police quoting Log 535 25/05/20.

And anyone with any information regarding the third incident at Porthtowan should quote log number 531 25/05/20.