October 28 2013


Emergency services were called to West Beach at Newhaven yesterday afternoon after a 14-year old local boy had been swept away while swimming at the shore with friends. An immediate search was begun involving police, Coastguard and the in-shore lifeboat.

The friends were not swept off and are safe.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "This is a very distressing incident and everything possible is being done to try to find the boy."

Meanwhile all agencies remind people of the dangers of being at seashores in adverse weather, especially in view of the approaching severe weather conditions overnight. The advice is straightforward - stay clear.

Chief Inspector Katy Woolford added; "Both we and the Coastguard have received reports during the afternoon of people being dangerously near water edge in places as far apart as Seaford and Brighton. Please, at least until the imminent severe weather abates, stay clear of the seashore for your own saftey, and in order to help the emergency services to be available to deal with other incidents."

Updates on the search will be issued as soon as available.

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