Latest news with #DevonAirAmbulance
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Beach horror as 1,000 injured in 'Jaws-like' incident as blood turns sea red
A British beach turned into a scene reminiscent of a horror film as nearly 1,000 people were injured in a horror attack dubbed 'The Day the Sea Turned Red in Devon' Twenty-seven years ago, a day at the beach turned into a nightmare. It's known as 'The Day the Sea Turned Red in Devon'. And it's not an exaggeration. It started as a complete mystery. One moment everything was perfectly normal on a sunny Sunday in August 1998. Within a few hours, between 800 and 1,000 people were injured and eyewitnesses compared the scenes on Paignton Beach to 'a scene from Jaws'. People were covered in blood and panic spread rapidly. Emergency services were called and police patrolled the seafront from Preston to Goodrington, telling people to get out of the water. Thirty individuals were so badly injured that they needed to be taken to Torbay Hospital, reports Devon Live.. The beach was filled with the sounds of laughter, waves and seagulls – but within minutes, holidaymakers and locals began running from the beach in terror, with blood streaming from their feet. The Paignton Regatta was in full swing and the seafront was bustling - and then the day transformed into something out of a horror film. At around 1pm, the tranquillity of a sunny day was broken as first aiders on Paignton Green dealt with a flood of beachgoers reporting cuts from something sharp in the sea. As more and more people ventured into the warm shallows during an unusually low tide, the number of injuries skyrocketed. Chaos erupted on the shores as police, beach attendants, and emergency responders swiftly secured a seaside town, prompting an urgent evacuation of swimmers. Eager holidaymakers watched as ambulances and the Devon Air Ambulance descended upon the scene, adding to the dramatic rescue operation unfolding before their eyes. Described by locals as a 'total emergency', swift action was taken by Torbay Council to manage the multi-agency response involving coastguards and paramedics who rushed to aid the wounded. Initially baffling officials, the mystery behind the mass injuries at the beach was eventually linked to hidden razor fish shells, brought to the surface by an unusually low tide that caught sun-seekers off guard. Commenting on the incident, former MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders witnessed the commotion firsthand, remarking to bystanders, "It was like a scene from Jaws as the police cleared the sea of people." Nationally, the spectacle triggered significant attention, with memories of the day etched in those present. Brian Pearce, the beach manager at the time, relayed to the Independent his shock as he witnessed hundreds with lacerated feet emerging from the sea. While most had minor injuries, some required hospital treatment; it was a day Pearce hoped would remain unparalleled, saying, "The majority had small cuts, but a few had bad ones which were treated in hospital. I have never seen anything like it. I hope I do not see it again." Chaos reigned at Paignton Green as ambulances weaved through throngs of people, with Torbay Hospital's casualty unit on urgent alert. Along Preston Beach and neighbouring sites of Broadsands and Hollicombe, distress calls reported numerous injuries. The din of sirens drowned out the lively seafront karaoke, thrusting emergency services into frenetic action. Fresh ambulances turned up, bearing extra medical supplies like dressings and saline solutions for treating wounds, while the Devon Air Ambulance cut through the skies to make an urgent delivery, interrupting a casual game of rounders. Ambulance group station officer Chris Coles, one of the first responders, instantly grasped the severity, proclaiming, "We knew straight away we were dealing with multiple casualties." Support was hastily summoned from the Red Cross, involved in a demonstration at Brixham, and from the St John Ambulance medics. Dramatically, a normally tranquil spot for family picnics on Paignton Green was swiftly transformed into an impromptu field hospital by the police. As caregivers diligently worked, one paramedic, finishing with a patient, raised their head to call forward another with a terse, "Next!". Police chief Inspector Peter Dale swiftly responded to the escalating situation by directing his officers to patrol the beach and warn unsuspecting sunbathers to steer clear of the treacherous razor fish beds. Young Lana McAreavey, only 11 years old from Princes Street in Paignton, experienced a painful mishap after treading on one of the sharp shells, necessitating medical attention. Reflecting on the ordeal, she said, "It does hurt a bit, and I can't put my shoe on." A startled holidaymaker described their shock at being wounded unexpectedly: "I was just walking through the shallow water when I felt something with my foot. It was so sharp that I didn't realise I was cut until I looked down and saw the blood." Ten-year-old Sarah Richards from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, found herself in distress requiring three stitches due to her injury. The youngster recounted, "I was walking with my mum and I trod on something. Then I started screaming." Another young beach-goer, Charlotte Mills aged 10, recounted her harrowing experience, which resulted in two stitches for a lacerated foot. With her father Tim Brown by her side, Charlotte explained, "I was in the water and something cut my foot. I thought it was a crab at first. Then I saw a massive cut on my foot and my friend gave me a piggyback up the beach." The staff at Torbay Hospital faced an unusually hectic day as they dealt with the aftermath, treating casualties non-stop for over two hours. An astounding thirty patients, mainly children, required medical care, prompting a section of A&E to be dedicated solely to coping with this sudden spike in injuries. A hospital spokesperson, reflecting on the event, said: "I have never seen anything like it before and people who have lived here for years have never heard of this kind of thing happening. ''. Torbay Council swiftly erected warning signs on the beaches, handed out hundreds of leaflets and issued loudhailer warnings. Meanwhile, local traders quickly ran out of stock for flip-flops and plastic 'jelly' shoes.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Serious crash on A38 in Devon closes road both ways
A serious crash that involved a car flipping onto its roof has led to the closure of both sides of the A38 in Highways said the incident happened between the junctions for the A383 near Bickington and A382 near Bovey Tracey on said a number of emergency service crews, including the Devon Air Ambulance, had been called out to the scene and diversions were in and Somerset Fire Service said it had sent three engines to the scene and two people were trapped inside the vehicle that had overturned. National Highways said traffic that had been caught in the eastbound closure was being slowly released past the scene.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Devon cyclist does final ride for charity before leg amputation
A cyclist from Exeter has planned a final ride to raise money for charity before voluntarily having both legs Staniford said the ride on Sunday would raise money for four charities - Devon Air Ambulance, Wheels for Wellbeing, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature and the Devon and Exeter has MDT syndrome, a rare genetic condition, which he said limited his "mobility and my ability to be active".His first operation is scheduled for 21 May to remove his right leg and then his left leg is due to be amputated at a later date. He said he had always enjoyed riding a bike and when he was younger enjoyed distance running but as his condition progressed running became painful. Mr Staniford said: "Because I'm not putting weight on my feet and because I'm not using my feet the bone density is dropping, which means that now the bones are starting to crumble and that is poses an increasingly large infection risk."To avoid that infection risk and also to try and give me a bit of mobility and better quality of life we've gone for the elective double leg amputation below the knee." In 2005 Mr Staniford was involved in an accident and was supported by Devon's Air Ambulance, which was why he chose to raise money for them. 'Mark the occasion' He said: "Because I've used my legs so heavily over the years and had such great adventures and great fun with them, it seemed like a shame to just kind of let it go without something to mark the occasion and I thought... might as well try and raise some money for charity at the same time."Mr Staniford said the plan for the cycle was very informal and he hoped to get as many people involved as said the ride would start at Exeter Quayside and cycle to the bike path down to the Double Locks pub and potentially further before returning to Exeter Quay.
