Davey Short, a 48-year-old painter and decorator from Hartlepool, has been hailed as the 'hero of Hartlepool' after he rescued a 12-year-old boy from the North Sea on Sunday afternoon. The rescue turned tragic when the boy's father and another man died during the attempt. Short, who had been enjoying the hot weather at his mother's house near Seaton Carew beach, initially went for a swim but found the sea too rough. He then saw a child swimming with a man who appeared to be snorkelling but was actually unresponsive. Hearing the mother's screams, Short ran into the water despite police warnings to stay out.
Rescue Amid Tragedy
Short told Metro: 'I didn't care about myself. I didn't even think about how bad it was. I just thought I'm going in for that bairn.' He swam out, shouting to the boy to swim toward him. The boy, worried about his father, pleaded, 'Please save my dad,' but Short focused on getting the child to safety. He grabbed the boy's hand and swam back to shore, where they both collapsed. The mother was hysterical, thanking Short, but the boy cried, 'My dad, he's dead, isn't he?' Short said, 'All the dad would want was that his son was alive, that's why he went in. I got his son out, I couldn't save him. He was bobbing already – he was already gone. But he was the real hero. And the other man who died going in who didn't even know them.'
Crowdfunder for Families
Short plans to set up a crowdfunder for the families of the two men who died. 'I just want to raise something for the other two men that didn't make it, just so the families have a little bit of help for the funerals, if anything. If not, the young kids, if they can get something out of it, just a little holiday even – that would be nice.'
Police Statement and Lifeguard Controversy
Superintendent Glen Ward of Cleveland Police expressed deepest sympathies: 'Despite the best efforts of emergency services, sadly both men were pronounced dead a short time after being brought out of the sea. We are conducting enquiries into the circumstances of what happened today, although the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the Coroner.' Ward reminded the public of the dangers of open water: 'We know it is inviting in the hot weather, but we would encourage people to refrain from entering any open water at all. Today we have sadly seen the true tragedy that can happen as a result.' It has emerged that Hartlepool Borough Council withdrew lifeguards at Seaton Carew in 2001 to save £100,000. A petition demanding year-round lifeguards has already gained over 1,500 signatures.
