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Daily Mirror
28-06-2025
- 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.
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
£4m Lotto win puts Harley-Davidson fan on the road to early retirement
A Harley-Davidson lover is planning an easy ride into retirement after winning nearly £4 million on the National Lottery. Jon Waring, 57, has already handed in his notice at Devon and Cornwall Police where he has worked as a radio operator for 16 years. Meanwhile, his wife Lucy, 48, is working her notice as a nurse at Torbay Hospital. The couple, from Paignton in Devon, who have a 15-year-old daughter, are planning to take life at a more relaxed pace thanks to the Lotto jackpot win. They already have their bucket list planned out with a Harley-Davidson trike bike topping the shopping list for Mr Waring, while a hot tub is the number one priority for his wife. A new family home in the Paignton area is also high on the wish list. Mr Waring said his huge win, which saw him match six numbers in the Lotto draw on May 31 still does not feel real. 'I keep thinking I am going to wake up from a dream,' he said. The family are all keen musicians and plan to create a music room in their new home where they can all play as well as listen to their favourite bands. 'This will be the perfect place to display the family's guitar collection – and potentially add to it too,' Mr Waring said. 'As a family, we love rock music and now the world really is our oyster – we hope to get the chance to attend gigs up and down the country. 'This win will just enable us all to slow down, enjoy life – and of course hit that road on the sunny days ahead on our new trike.' Mr Waring woke at 4am to discover he had won the £3,966,543 jackpot. 'Something just made me go to check my emails and I saw an email saying I had won a prize,' he said. 'I went to Google the winning numbers and noticed there was just one winner – and knew it must have been me. 'I couldn't quite believe it – I knew they were my numbers. I turned my tablet off – left it five minutes – and then turned it back on to double and triple check. 'I woke Lucy, and she said, still half asleep, 'Is it April 1?'. I said no, it is June. 'We just could not believe it – there was no way we were getting back to sleep. We just sat and drank tea – we must have had 10 cups between us.' Mr Waring, who is also a keen rugby fan, said a box at Exeter Chiefs and a trip to see the Lions tour are also on his wish list, together with a new car, an Audi Q7. 'It's a complete change of lifestyle – it won't change us, but it will change what we can do. And the pace at which we do it, too.' He said with the nature of his job, and his wife's, it has been hard to get holidays to match up and the couple do not even have current passports. 'As a result of our shift work, we have not had a proper holiday together for a long, long time,' he said. 'We are now really looking forward to booking something and knowing we can just holiday when we choose. Perhaps a trip to New Orleans for the music. 'It's all the things you dream about trying and seeing but know you never will, until something like this happens.' Mr Waring has always played Lotto each week since the game started and now plays online. His winning numbers were: 8, 11, 12, 16, 20 and 33.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Devon couple plan to slow down after £3.9m lottery win
A couple who won a £3.97m Lotto jackpot say they are planning to "slow down" and "enjoy life" at a more relaxed Waring, 57, and his wife Lucy, 48, from Paignton, in Devon, said they could not believe they had won. "We just sat and drank tea - we must have had 10 cups between us," Mr Waring said. Mr Waring said he had already handed in his notice at Devon and Cornwall Police, where he worked as a radio operator for 16 years, and Ms Waring was working her notice as a nurse at Torbay Hospital. Mr Waring has played the Lotto every week since the game began and now plays couple, who also have a 15-year-old daughter, have said a Harley-Davidson trike bike and a hot tub are at the top of their wish added a new family home, in the same area where they have lived all their lives, was also high on the list. The family said they were keen musicians and planned to create a music room in their new home. 'Is it 1 April?' Mr Waring added: "As a family, we love rock music and now the world really is our oyster - we hope to get the chance to attend gigs up and down the country. "This win will just enable us all to slow down, enjoy life."Mr Waring said he woke at 04:00 BST on the morning to discover he had won. He said: "Something just made me go to check my emails and I saw an email saying I had won a prize." He said he turned his tablet off and on again to double and triple check."I woke Lucy and she said, still half asleep, is it 1 April? I said no, it is June," he said. Of their future, he added: "It's all the things you dream about trying and seeing but know you never will until something like this happens."
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Easy riders! Couple who scooped £4m Lotto jackpot quit their jobs to buy Harley-Davidson trike after shock win left them needing 10 cups of tea to calm down
A couple who scooped a £4 million Lotto jackpot have quit their jobs to buy a Harley-Davidson motorbike - after their shock win left them needing 10 cups of tea to calm down. Jon and Lucy Waring, from Paignton in Devon, are now planning an easy ride into retirement after quitting their jobs and drawing up a bucket list for the ultimate golden years shopping spree. Jon, 57 left his role as a radio operator at Devon and Cornwall Police after 16 years, while Lucy, 48 is working her notice period as a nurse at Torbay hospital. The couple, who have a 15-year-old daughter, claimed the £3,966,543 prize from the May 31 draw after learning they were the only winners. Now Jon plans to take a Harley-Davidson trike trip while Lucy wants to invest in a hot tub. They are also planning to purchase a new family home in the same area, where they have both lived for their whole lives. The family are all keen musicians and plan to create a music room in their new home where they can all play as well as listen to their favourite bands. Jon said: 'This will be the perfect place to display the family's guitar collection – and potentially add to it too. 'As a family, we love rock music and now the world really is our oyster – we hope to get the chance to attend gigs up and down the country. This win will just enable us all to slow down, enjoy life – and of course hit that road on the sunny days ahead on our new trike!' Revealing the moment they discovered they had won, Jon told how they were so shocked they needed ten cups of tea to calm their nerves. He woke up at 4am in the morning after the draw and picked up his tablet to check his emails. He said: 'Something just made me go to check my emails and I saw an email saying I had won a prize. I went to Google the winning numbers and noticed there was just one winner – and knew it must have been me. 'I couldn't quite believe it - I knew they were my numbers! I turned my tablet off – left it five minutes – and then turned it back on to double and triple check!' The win was such a shock that Jon woke his wife, who thought he was pulling her leg. Still half asleep, she asked 'Is it 1 April?' and Jon replied 'No, it is June.' He added: 'We just could not believe it – there was no way we were getting back to sleep! We just sat and drank tea – we must have had 10 cups between us!' Jon, who is also a keen rugby fan, said a box at Exeter Chiefs and a trip to see the Lions tour are also on his wish list, together with a new car, an Audi Q7. He added, 'It's a complete change of lifestyle – it won't change us, but it will change what we can do! And the pace at which we do it too.' Jon said with the nature of his job, and Lucy's, it has been hard to get holidays to match up and the pair don't even have valid passports. 'As a result of our shift work, we have not had a proper holiday together for a long, long time. We are now really looking forward to booking something and knowing we can just holiday when we choose! Perhaps a trip to New Orleans for the music. 'It's all the things you dream about trying and seeing but know you never will - until something like this happens!' Jon has always played Lotto each week since the game started and now plays online. His winning Lotto numbers on Wednesday 31 May, 2025, were: 8, 11, 12, 16, 20 and 33.
BBC News
08-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Volunteers offer adventure and support to young and older people
Volunteers from around the South West have been sharing their stories for Volunteers' 60% of people in Devon and Cornwall volunteered at least once last year, according to a recent government Dowman volunteers for Shallowford Farm, in Dartmoor, which gives some of the "most disadvantaged" young people from inner cities a flavour of life on a working former fire fighter Earl Hinsley-Self said his role as a discharge lounge volunteer at Torbay Hospital gave him a sense of purpose after retirement. Ms Dowman said many of the young people she takes to the countryside "haven't even been out of London"."So it can be quite daunting - the first thing they notice is the smell," she start early, feeding and mucking out pigs before breakfast ahead of a day packed with activities such as hiking, climbing trees and lambing - depending on the time of the youngsters get over the initial "shock" of smells, spiders and seeing animals, "you start seeing the amazement in them", said Ms Dowman. Ms Dowman grew up in London and first visited the farm in 1992 as a child on a camping trip, staying in "old army tents".Her mother was on one of the farm's first trips in 1977, she said, and her son and grandmother had also been to the farm - making four generations of visitors."Dartmoor is one of my favourite places in the world and I love sharing this experience with the children," she said. When Earl Hinsley-Self was unable to work after recovering from lung cancer, he signed up to a volunteering open day at the local hospital."I was completely sold on it", he said, "as it meant being part of a team... and putting something back into the community".Mr Hinsley-Self now supports people who are being discharged from hospital."It just puts people's mind at rest, that they've got someone to talk to," he said he enjoyed meeting "new people every day" and made "the best" cup of teas. Talking and board games Mr Hinsley-Self is one of more than 400 volunteers at the hospital, with others doing everything from admin to pet therapy and presenting hospital Payne, from Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust, said the trust was "extremely fortunate" for its team of hospital put on a cream tea to thank them earlier this week, he trust said more than 4,000 patients had "some form of social interaction" with volunteers - such as playing board games, talking or being read to - between October 2024 and March 1,666 patients were given food or drink by volunteers in that time, while more than 11,000 notes had been delivered by volunteers, the trust said. Mandy Rolleston and Sharon Bamford both volunteer at Cornwall Playhouse in Truro, Rolleston said there was a "great sense of community" among theatre's more than 200 volunteers, who check tickets and help audience members have a "fantastic experience".Ms Rolleston said volunteers come from all walks of life, with lawyers, medical professionals, business owners and "a lot of headmistresses".Mrs Bamford previously worked in the building in the 1990s, when it was the Hall for Cornwall and helped set up the old venue's volunteer program, when it was "a pasty and a pint to run the bar"."I still get very emotional, [the hall] still means a lot to me."Alex Laidlaw, front of house manager, said the team of volunteers were "massively important" and helped the theatre to Laidlaw said "about 50%" of the volunteers still worked or studied Rolleston said she would "absolutely" recommend volunteering to anyone."You get so much from it - the community, the support, the stimulation," she said.
