March 23, 2023 5.00 pm This story is over 26 months old

RNLI’s Cleethorpes beach warning after rescuing stranded man

‘Superb professionalism’ from rescuers

The RNLI is urging any beachgoers to be careful of incoming tides after rescuing a stranded man in Cleethorpes.

The RNLI were called out by the coastguard just before 5.30pm on Wednesday, March 22 to a man cut off by the tide near Buck Beck. The crew took him safely ashore to the coastguard.

The incident was witnessed by Dean Storey, who is on holiday in Cleethorpes from West Yorkshire, and praised the “superb professionalism” of the RNLI.

He told The Lincolnite: “We were just on our decking and a lady walking past said there appeared to be a guy stranded on the island by the Buck Beck Beach Bench which had been created by the incoming high tide.

“I immediately phoned 999, but just as I did the inshore lifeboat appeared.

The RNLI crew rescuing the stranded man in Cleethorpes. | Photo: Dean Storey

“We stood and watched as two of the lifeboatmen got out and went onto the island and walked over to the guy who looked worried.

“They appeared to reassure him before handing him a life jacket. They then led him back across the flooded land and through the shallow water onto the boat.

“When they were all safely aboard the boat manoeuvred its way back onto the route of the Buck Beck and proceeded across the flooded marshland and took him back to the public footpath.

“We lost sight of them then until they were on their way back out onto the river. We watched them safely on their way back to Cleethorpes Lifeboat Station.

“We were very impressed by their superb professionalism and the way they calmly dealt with the life-threatening situation the guy was in.”

The man was stranded by surrounding water. | Photo: Dean Storey

The RNLI crew helping the man to safety. | Photo: Dean Storey

Matt McNally, volunteer press officer at Cleethorpes RNLI, told The Lincolnite: “The incoming tide at Cleethorpes creates several dangers of trapping people on sandbanks and in the salt Marsh, we recommend anyone going out past the high water mark is aware of the tide times and comes back to the shore five hours before high tide.

“Our volunteers are on call 24/7/365 and if anyone is in trouble at the coast, or sees someone they think might be, they should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

Great work by RNLI Cleethorpes. | Photo: Dean Storey

The RNLI is a charity and its lifesaving services are funded entirely by donations.

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