A fresh warning has been issued to motorists to check tide times before driving onto local beaches after this campervan was partially submerged by the sea at Brean on Sunday evening.
The owners of the vehicle, a couple from Gloucester, had parked on the beach and then gone for a walk, seemingly unaware that the incoming tide would surround the vehicle, leaving it stranded as its wheels sank into the soft sand.
Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards and a crew from BARB Search & Rescue were called to the beach at 6.15pm to check no-one was stuck inside and to recover the vehicle.
Beachwarden Dave Furber told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The couple had walked off onto Brean Down and hadn’t realised the tide would come up so high or reach their campervan. They were very grateful for the help from the crews.”
BARB’s volunteer crewmembers winched the vehicle free with the assistance of the beach warden and the couple made a donation to the charity to cover its costs.
A BARB spokesman said: “Fortunately, the tide was not too high on Sunday evening and the campervan could be recovered and driven away, but not all motorists are that fortunate.”
“Our advice is always to check the tide times if driving onto local beaches – the beach warden can help with this information, and it is always displayed on signs on entrances to the beach.”
BARB’s volunteers were also called out at 3.15am on Saturday morning, alongside Burnham Coastguards, to search for a missing person at Brean, who was successfully found safe and well.
One of BARB’s hovercrafts was also called out by Coastguards at 10pm on Sunday evening (July 31st) to Sand Bay where two people were briefly in difficulty in the mud. The crew was stood down en route when the two people managed to walk free themselves.
