Nine people rescued from beach at Whitsand Bay

Off-duty lifeguards and members of the public saved them from the sea at Tregonhawke on Bank Holiday Monday

Nine people were rescued at a popular beach by off-duty lifeguards and members of the public – on the day two others died in separate tragedies in Cornwall.

The RNLI renewed its warning about the dangers of rip tides at Tregonhawke in Whitsand Bay near Torpoint after the incidents on Bank Holiday Monday.

More people were also rescued at nearby Freathy and Tregantle.

The incidents came on the same day that two people died in separate tragedies on Cornwall’s north coast as crowds flocked to the beaches in the good weather.

A 17-year-old girl died after an inflatable boat overturned at Porthilly near Rock. And at Treyarnon Bay near Padstow, a male was pronounced dead after being pulled from the water by members of the public.

A third person was left with life-changing injuries in another incident at Porthtowan.

The incidents came after warnings about big spring tides and a lack of lifeguard cover.

RNLI Lifeguards in South East Cornwall posted on Facebook yesterday: “The rip currents have been bad here on all tides.

“Yesterday (Monday) there were nine people rescued by off-duty lifeguards and members of the public at Tregonhawke, there have also been rescues at Freathy and Tregantle too.

“There are no lifeguards on duty across Whitsand Bay at the moment, please take extreme caution.”

The lifeguards have warned anyone visiting the bay or nearby Seaton to check weather and tides, supervise children at all times and leave inflatables at home.

Parking areas were packed around Whitsand last week as temperatures reached their highest since August, but local people were angered by rubbish left by beach-goers at Tregantle.

Thousands took advantage of the good weather and the easing of the coronavirus lockdown in Devon and Cornwall – but the RNLI said it was not given enough warning to prepare.

The charity has vowed to reinstate cover on at least 15 beaches - including eight in Cornwall - in the next few days. The RNLI has also reportedly called on the Government to restrict access to the coast.