These were the scenes when more than 80 members of Burnham-On-Sea’s rescue services used their bare hands to dig out a ‘casualty’ from the sand dunes at Berrow in a sand hole collapse exercise this week.
Local Coastguards, firefighters, BARB crewmembers, RNLI beach lifeguards, ambulance staff and beachwardens took part in Wednesday night’s training exercise ahead of the summer holiday season.
The event refreshed crewmembers on how to safely and quickly carry out a rescue after a sand hole collapse, while also acting as a warning to beachgoers.
Holes dug into the beach or dunes can collapse and people become trapped by sand, making it impossible to move, warn Coastguards. In severe cases, the weight of the sand could restrict breathing so seriously that it could be fatal.
Coastguard Operations Officer Jon Kendray said: “We are not saying that families should stop digging sand on local beaches, but we do advise people to act responsibly and safely – not tunneling into sand dunes or putting themselves at risk.”
Crewmembers were thanked for taking part in the physically-draining exercise during one of the warmest evenings of the year.
