3 days ago
Penarth Pier warning as teens seen 'tombstoning' into sea
Young people are "taking unnecessary risks" by jumping from height into shallow waters at a popular pier, according to the Wales Police said it had attended isolated reports of "tombstoning" at Penarth Pier, Vale of Glamorgan, adding officers were carrying out patrols around the coast to deter such reports come as parts of Wales head into their fourth heatwave of the year, with many people taking to the coastline as temperatures are expected to reach up to 29C over the RNLI has warned people not to jump from the pier, urging people to take precautions in the open water.
"Tombstoning" involves jumping off high cliffs, piers and other high points into open other places in the UK it has resulted in people receiving life-changing injuries, and can lead to fatalities. South Wales Police said it was important for people to remind themselves of the dangers of the water, urging parents to educate their children on cold-water shock, unpredictable currents and unknown hazards beneath the water's surface that pose "serious risk".It added: "Anyone who enters the water from the pier are risking their lives, and potentially the lives of others, should they need to be rescued."The RNLI advised people to be aware of how deep water is or if there are any objects under the surface, warning that young people can get "carried away and excited, taking unnecessary risks".
Vale of Glamorgan council said: "The council is aware that people have been jumping off Penarth Pier into the sea below and these incidents have been reported to the police."This practice, known as tombstoning, may seem like harmless fun, but is actually extremely dangerous."The council said it was working with police and the RNLI to discourage tombstoning and plan for emergency situations. "It is important that people understand the risks, stay safe and act responsibly when visiting locations close to water, including Penarth Pier," it said.
