Latest news with #Tynemouth
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
How brothers survived rip current surf terror
On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. They hope sharing their experience will save lives. It was a great day for a surf, with 5ft-high swells sweeping along the shore at Tynemouth. Euan, 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that lunchtime. When they rented their boards from a hire centre at the beach, the pair from Gateshead were advised of the safest spots to surf. But, unwittingly, they were being blown by a northerly wind towards a rip current, a permanent fixture beside the lido at the southern end of the mile-long beach. By the time they realised, it was too late. Andrew was the first to get caught, he had stayed out on the water while his brother went ashore to get a different surfboard. "I did not really know what was going on," Andrew says. "I was going full pelt and not getting anywhere." When Euan returned, he instantly saw his younger brother was in trouble and went out to try and help him, getting himself caught in the current. "It was like trying to swim on a treadmill," Euan, 21, recalls. No matter how hard he swam, he found himself and his brother being pulled out to sea by the current. Both quickly realised how serious their situation was, and it became even more perilous when they began to get separated. While each was struggling to keep themselves afloat, they also had the added fear of not knowing what was happening to the other, as they disappeared from each other's view. Their first urge was to panic and swim as hard as they could to get out of their predicament. "I could hear myself panicking but I just knew that would not help me," Euan says. He called at his brother to "just chill", which they laugh about now. But staying calm became key to their survival, the pair remembering the lessons taught to them by their father years before at their local swimming pool. Stay calm and float on your back, conserve energy. Andrew was being bombarded by the breaking waves, tumbling in the tumultuous North Sea. Luckily, he was thrust close to the rocks, which he was able to make a quick burst for and haul himself up on to. But Euan was too far away and being pulled further out to sea. He had seen his brother get out to safety, flooding him with relief, his attention now turning solely to his own predicament. "I was completely helpless," Euan recalls. "I was just very aware no matter how hard or long I swam there was no chance of me fighting this." Neither really knows how long the ordeal lasted or how far they travelled, but it felt like a long time and a long distance. They both say they had "pretty scary" and "dark" thoughts during their struggle, principally about what had happened to the other. Several members of the public, including a 10-year-old boy, saw what was happening and called for help. The RNLI Cullercoats team was paged at 12:09 BST, and 11 minutes later four crew members were aboard their boat Daddy's Girl, bursting out into Cullercoats bay and down the coast. Two minutes later they found Euan. He struggles to describe the relief he felt seeing the bright orange boat bearing down on him. "That was a great feeling," he says. He was hauled over the inflatable side and taken back to the Cullercoats lifeboat station to be checked over and treated with a bag of gummy sweets. He had not realised how cold he was until the paramedics started to look him over. The station's operations manager drove him back to Tynemouth for a reunion with his brother. "We gave each other a big hug," Euan says. Andrew, who was already out of his wetsuit and into his clothes, recalled the relief he felt at seeing his brother tempered by the soggy embrace from Euan's wetsuit. The pair drove home in a daze, Andrew putting I Will Survive on the car's radio. "We were in shock," Euan says. Andrew agrees: "I do not think either of us processed what we had been through." The rip current that caught them is a near permanent feature of Longsands, caused by the North Sea surging past the 1920s-built concrete lido. It is, according to the RNLI, "topographically constrained", while other rip currents can also regularly form along the beach. Rip currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to sea. They can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI says. Rip currents are the number one source for lifeguard call-outs, Geoff Cowan, the RNLI Cullercoats safety advisor says. Geoff is full of praise for the brothers, first for their actions in the moment and secondly for speaking out about it afterwards in a bid to boost awareness of the perils of rip currents and what to do if caught in one. Advice if caught includes to not try and swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its grip. The brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy aid. They also followed the Float to Live protocols, advice issued by the RNLI to prevent drowning. "We want people to enjoy the water but be mindful of what can go wrong and what to do if it does," Geoff says. Additional advice includes carrying a phone in waterproof pouch and using the SafeTtrx app, which would quickly enable the RNLI to locate those in trouble. Pressing the side button on a mobile phone five times will also start a 999 call, Geoff says. The brothers are yet to return to the sea, but they have been to the Cullercoats station with their family to thank those who came to their aid. "We are really pleased to see them both," Geoff says. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Fifty years of messing with boats and saving lives Beachgoers urged to listen to RNLI podcast RNLI Cullercoats
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
How brothers survived rip current surf terror
On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. They hope sharing their experience will save lives. It was a great day for a surf, with 5ft-high swells sweeping along the shore at Tynemouth. Euan, 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that lunchtime. When they rented their boards from a hire centre at the beach, the pair from Gateshead were advised of the safest spots to surf. But, unwittingly, they were being blown by a northerly wind towards a rip current, a permanent fixture beside the lido at the southern end of the mile-long beach. By the time they realised, it was too late. Andrew was the first to get caught, he had stayed out on the water while his brother went ashore to get a different surfboard. "I did not really know what was going on," Andrew says. "I was going full pelt and not getting anywhere." When Euan returned, he instantly saw his younger brother was in trouble and went out to try and help him, getting himself caught in the current. "It was like trying to swim on a treadmill," Euan, 21, recalls. No matter how hard he swam, he found himself and his brother being pulled out to sea by the current. Both quickly realised how serious their situation was, and it became even more perilous when they began to get separated. While each was struggling to keep themselves afloat, they also had the added fear of not knowing what was happening to the other, as they disappeared from each other's view. Their first urge was to panic and swim as hard as they could to get out of their predicament. "I could hear myself panicking but I just knew that would not help me," Euan says. He called at his brother to "just chill", which they laugh about now. But staying calm became key to their survival, the pair remembering the lessons taught to them by their father years before at their local swimming pool. Stay calm and float on your back, conserve energy. Andrew was being bombarded by the breaking waves, tumbling in the tumultuous North Sea. Luckily, he was thrust close to the rocks, which he was able to make a quick burst for and haul himself up on to. But Euan was too far away and being pulled further out to sea. He had seen his brother get out to safety, flooding him with relief, his attention now turning solely to his own predicament. "I was completely helpless," Euan recalls. "I was just very aware no matter how hard or long I swam there was no chance of me fighting this." Neither really knows how long the ordeal lasted or how far they travelled, but it felt like a long time and a long distance. They both say they had "pretty scary" and "dark" thoughts during their struggle, principally about what had happened to the other. Several members of the public, including a 10-year-old boy, saw what was happening and called for help. The RNLI Cullercoats team was paged at 12:09 BST, and 11 minutes later four crew members were aboard their boat Daddy's Girl, bursting out into Cullercoats bay and down the coast. Two minutes later they found Euan. He struggles to describe the relief he felt seeing the bright orange boat bearing down on him. "That was a great feeling," he says. He was hauled over the inflatable side and taken back to the Cullercoats lifeboat station to be checked over and treated with a bag of gummy sweets. He had not realised how cold he was until the paramedics started to look him over. The station's operations manager drove him back to Tynemouth for a reunion with his brother. "We gave each other a big hug," Euan says. Andrew, who was already out of his wetsuit and into his clothes, recalled the relief he felt at seeing his brother tempered by the soggy embrace from Euan's wetsuit. The pair drove home in a daze, Andrew putting I Will Survive on the car's radio. "We were in shock," Euan says. Andrew agrees: "I do not think either of us processed what we had been through." The rip current that caught them is a near permanent feature of Longsands, caused by the North Sea surging past the 1920s-built concrete lido. It is, according to the RNLI, "topographically constrained", while other rip currents can also regularly form along the beach. Rip currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to sea. They can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI says. Rip currents are the number one source for lifeguard call-outs, Geoff Cowan, the RNLI Cullercoats safety advisor says. Geoff is full of praise for the brothers, first for their actions in the moment and secondly for speaking out about it afterwards in a bid to boost awareness of the perils of rip currents and what to do if caught in one. Advice if caught includes to not try and swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its grip. The brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy aid. They also followed the Float to Live protocols, advice issued by the RNLI to prevent drowning. "We want people to enjoy the water but be mindful of what can go wrong and what to do if it does," Geoff says. Additional advice includes carrying a phone in waterproof pouch and using the SafeTtrx app, which would quickly enable the RNLI to locate those in trouble. Pressing the side button on a mobile phone five times will also start a 999 call, Geoff says. The brothers are yet to return to the sea, but they have been to the Cullercoats station with their family to thank those who came to their aid. "We are really pleased to see them both," Geoff says. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Fifty years of messing with boats and saving lives Beachgoers urged to listen to RNLI podcast RNLI Cullercoats
BBC News
21 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
How Tynemouth surfer brothers sruvived rip current terror
On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. They hope sharing their experience will save lives. It was a great day for a surf, with 5ft-high swells sweeping along the shore at 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that they rented their boards from a hire centre at the beach, the pair from Gateshead were advised of the safest spots to unwittingly, they were being blown by a northerly wind towards a rip current, a permanent fixture beside the lido at the southern end of the mile-long the time they realised, it was too late. Andrew was the first to get caught, he had stayed out on the water while his brother went ashore to get a different surfboard."I did not really know what was going on," Andrew says. "I was going full pelt and not getting anywhere."When Euan returned, he instantly saw his younger brother was in trouble and went out to try and help him, getting himself caught in the current."It was like trying to swim on a treadmill," Euan, 21, matter how hard he swam, he found himself and his brother being pulled out to sea by the quickly realised how serious their situation was, and it became even more perilous when they began to get separated. While each was struggling to keep themselves afloat, they also had the added fear of not knowing what was happening to the other, as they disappeared from each other's first urge was to panic and swim as hard as they could to get out of their predicament."I could hear myself panicking but I just knew that would not help me," Euan called at his brother to "just chill", which they laugh about staying calm became key to their survival, the pair remembering the lessons taught to them by their father years before at their local swimming calm and float on your back, conserve energy. Andrew was being bombarded by the breaking waves, tumbling in the tumultuous North he was thrust close to the rocks, which he was able to make a quick burst for and haul himself up on Euan was too far away and being pulled further out to had seen his brother get out to safety, flooding him with relief, his attention now turning solely to his own predicament."I was completely helpless," Euan recalls. "I was just very aware no matter how hard or long I swam there was no chance of me fighting this."Neither really knows how long the ordeal lasted or how far they travelled, but it felt like a long time and a long distance. They both say they had "pretty scary" and "dark" thoughts during their struggle, principally about what had happened to the members of the public, including a 10-year-old boy, saw what was happening and called for RNLI Cullercoats team was paged at 12:09 BST, and 11 minutes later four crew members were aboard their boat Daddy's Girl, bursting out into Cullercoats bay and down the minutes later they found struggles to describe the relief he felt seeing the bright orange boat bearing down on him."That was a great feeling," he says. He was hauled over the inflatable side and taken back to the Cullercoats lifeboat station to be checked over and treated with a bag of gummy had not realised how cold he was until the paramedics started to look him station's operations manager drove him back to Tynemouth for a reunion with his brother."We gave each other a big hug," Euan says. Andrew, who was already out of his wetsuit and into his clothes, recalled the relief he felt at seeing his brother tempered by the soggy embrace from Euan's pair drove home in a daze, Andrew putting I Will Survive on the car's radio."We were in shock," Euan agrees: "I do not think either of us processed what we had been through." The rip current that caught them is a near permanent feature of Longsands, caused by the North Sea surging past the 1920s-built concrete is, according to the RNLI, "topographically constrained", while other rip currents can also regularly form along the currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI currents are the number one source for lifeguard call-outs, Geoff Cowan, the RNLI Cullercoats safety advisor is full of praise for the brothers, first for their actions in the moment and secondly for speaking out about it afterwards in a bid to boost awareness of the perils of rip currents and what to do if caught in one. Advice if caught includes to not try and swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy also followed the Float to Live protocols, advice issued by the RNLI to prevent drowning."We want people to enjoy the water but be mindful of what can go wrong and what to do if it does," Geoff says. Additional advice includes carrying a phone in waterproof pouch and using the SafeTtrx app, which would quickly enable the RNLI to locate those in the side button on a mobile phone five times will also start a 999 call, Geoff brothers are yet to return to the sea, but they have been to the Cullercoats station with their family to thank those who came to their aid."We are really pleased to see them both," Geoff says. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Tynemouth man completes 128 marathons in brother's memory
A man who lost his brother to suicide has completed running a marathon a day for 128 days in his Macpherson, from Tynemouth, North Tyneside, wanted to cover the equivalent of the distance between North Shields and New York, in the United States, where his older brother Connor, who died aged 21 in 2018, wanted to 3,332-mile (5,362km) challenge started at the end of January and finished in his home town on Monday - the day Connor would have turned Macpherson, who also popped the question to his girlfriend Jaimie Walker on the finishing line and was accepted, said he hoped the £60,000 he had raised for charities would make "a massive difference". Mr Macpherson, who carried out the challenge alongside his day job, said: "It's incredible. I've dreamed about it for so long and focused on it, but I've also tried to take a day at a time."It's such a sigh of relief [to have completed the challenge]. "I never really had a doubt in my mind, but I definitely woke up some mornings wondering how I'd get though it."To see so many people giving me support, it's amazing."I've managed to open up and share my story about losing my brother to suicide. I think in doing that, I've given other people the platform to do the same." Money will 'save lives' His initial aim had been to raise £10,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the mental health charity If U Care Share."I don't think I can quite comprehend the difference it will make yet," he added. "It's a huge amount of money. More than I could've dreamed of."It's going to save lives so it's pretty special." Asked what he planned to do now his running challenge was completed, he replied: "I'll put my feet up."I'm going on holiday on Thursday and I'll relax, get back to normal and try to be healthy and happy."If you have been affected by the issues raised you can visit the BBC's Action Line pages. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Telegraph
The best UK beaches you can reach by train in one hour or less
The summer is fast approaching, and so too are our thoughts of the beach. Whether you favour a traditional, bucket-and-spades affair, or prefer somewhere more peaceful, the coastline is the place to be on a sunny day. And while some of the more remote spots require a car to reach them, many of our most spectacular beaches are perfectly accessible by train – meaning there's no need to negotiate parking arrangements or struggle with traffic. Here are some of the best UK beaches accessible by train. Find a beach in: England From Newcastle: Tynemouth Beach The beaches of the north east are among Britain's best. Alternately melancholy and tropical, they make for a fantastic day out from, say, Newcastle or Durham. Among the best is Tynemouth Longsands, overlooked by the ruined Tynemouth priory. Best of all, it's accessible by the Metro – take a speedy trip from Newcastle and you're at the seaside. Braver visitors should head out into the water for a bracing swim (read our guide to open water swimming here), or join the throngs of surfers and catch a wave. How to get there On the Metro, take the YEL line from Monument station, in the centre of Newcastle, to Tynemouth (towards South Shields via Whitley Bay). The journey takes around 25 minutes. Where to stay No 61 offers well-appointed bed and breakfast rooms from £130 per night. From Liverpool: Crosby Beach Crosby Beach reached some notoriety with the installation of Anthony Gormley's Another Place sculptures. The statues are enduringly powerful, but the beach itself, even without artistic intervention, is a beautiful place for a coastal walk. Check the tides before visiting, wander along the sands, and then visit one of Crosby's elegant bars – Liverpool Road Social is a favourite. How to get there Take the Merseyrail train from Liverpool Central to Blundellsands & Crosby station (20 mins), or Waterloo (17 mins), and walk along the stretch of coastline. Where to stay The Lake House Waterloo has modern, family-friendly rooms that look across the water. Prices start at £86 per night. From London: Broadstairs Londoners have long been visiting Brighton and Margate for summer sun. If the crowds are too much, though, try getting off the train earlier, at Broadstairs. Charles Dickens stayed here while writing Bleak House, and the house in which he stayed sits on a promontory over the wide expanse of beach. Head down to the sands to sunbathe, or, for a sweet treat, hop between the town's numerous ice cream parlours – try Morelli's for an unbeatable gelato. How to get there Southeastern trains from London St Pancras to Broadstairs take one hour and 20 minutes. Where to stay The Botany Bay Hotel is a family-friendly pub with rooms, situated around 10 minutes from Broadstairs. Rooms start at £126 per night. Scotland From Edinburgh: Pettycur Beach Pettycur Beach is a small and sheltered bay backed by grand sand dunes. Its minimal facilities mean this probably isn't one for a young family, but make it ideal for a tranquil afternoon at the coast. It's a remarkably peaceful place with views across the Firth of Forth. And if you're a dog-owner, visit when the tide is out to frolic along the wide sands. How to get there Take the Scotrail train from Edinburgh Waverley to Perth, disembarking at Kinghorn (around 40 minutes). It's then a 15 minute walk to the beach. Where to stay Cardinals Folly is a cosy b&b in a converted Victorian church. From £87 per night, including breakfast. From Glasgow: Troon Close to cafes, shops and restaurants, Troon's popular beach is ideal for a summer day out. A day on the esplanade might include a game of hide-and-seek in the Italianate garden, or a scramble over the climbing frame in the well-equipped playground. Throughout the summer months, kite-surfers make it their regular spot. And the two-hour, two-mile treasure trail is a pleasing diversion regardless of the weather. How to get there The ScotRail train from Glasgow to Ayr stops off in Troon, taking around 40 minutes. Where to stay Marine Troon is a landmark hotel, primarily (but not exclusively) favoured by golfers. Its rooms offer spectacular views across to the Isle of Arran. From £265 per night. From Inverness: Nairn 'Astrotourism' – that is, the pursuit of astronomical phenomena – is being lauded as a 'travel trend' for this year. If this is true, Nairn beach should be among the busiest places in the country. Its pretty sands are a perfect spot to watch the sun set, complemented by views across the Moray Forth. In winter, the Northern Lights regularly dance across its dark skies. How to get there Take the ScotRail train from Inverness to Nairn (around 20 minutes), then walk for about 20 minutes down to the beach. Where to stay Golf View Hotel and Spa has Nairn's beach on its doorstep. A night's stay starts at £182 per night. Wales From Cardiff: Llantwit Major Beach Surfers adore Llantwit Major Beach for its adrenaline-boosting waves. Those who are less confident in the water, however, should head to the popular spot for its rockpooling opportunities. Children will adore finding waterborne wildlife, while adults will, secretly, get a thrill from the nostalgia of it all. The coastline here is also home to Britain's tiniest resident butterfly, the Small Blue – keep your eyes peeled while wandering along the clifftops. How to get there Take the Transport for Wales train from Cardiff Central to Llantwit Major (around 45 minutes). It's a half-an-hour walk to the beach. Where to stay The Great House Guest House lives up to its name. The charming, Grade II-listed cottage offers rooms from £135 (and its afternoon tea comes highly recommended). From Porthmadog: Barmouth Beach For those visiting Snowdonia, Barmouth is a charming coastal diversion. Go hiking in the national park's valleys, and then relax on its wide, open sands. The traditional spot has it all – ice cream shops, fish and chips, amusement arcades – but somehow never gets overcrowded, meaning respite can be found on its coves, too. At low tide, it's possible to walk along the sands to Harlech in the north. How to get there Trains run to Barmouth from Porthmadog (one hour) and Shrewsbury (two and a half hours), both with Transport for Wales. Where to stay Llwyndu is a 400-year-old, honeysuckle-fronted and clotted-cream-coloured farmhouse, offering rooms from £120 per night. Northern Ireland From Belfast: Ballyholme Bay Bangor's Ballyholme Bay is the antidote to a busy day in Belfast. Take a picnic and watch the comings-and-goings of the Yacht Club, whose members can be seen making the most of good weather. If you fancy trying your hand at watersports, take an introductory sailing course here, or try your hand at windsurfing. How to get there A half-an-hour Translink train journey from Belfast's Lanyon Place station will take you to Bangor. From there, it's a 20 minute walk to Ballyhome Bay. Where to stay The Harrison Hotel is a quirky and eccentric place to stay in Belfast. Rooms from £167 per night. From Derry/Londonderry: Castlerock Beach An antidote to England's sewage-blighted beaches, Castlerock is regularly awarded Blue Flag status for its clear waters. Anglers adore it for its fruitful fishing opportunities, while the dramatic cliffs to the west make for spectacular photography opportunities. There's boardwalk access, making it easy to weave through the dunes, plus a summer lifeguard service. And if you are taking the car (not that you'll need to), there's free parking, too. How to get there The train from Derry/Londonderry to Castlerock takes around half an hour with Translink. Where to stay The Bishop's Gate Hotel is a grand former gentleman's club in the bigger city. Rooms from £179 per night.
