A 68-year-old man who attempted to rescue a mother and her teenage daughter from the sea in Withernsea has described the harrowing events, revealing he lost his own father in similar circumstances when he was 12. Richard Shaw was walking his dog near Pier Towers on January 2 when he heard screams and saw 15-year-old Grace Keeling struggling in huge waves.
Mr Shaw grabbed a lifebelt and threw it towards the girl, but she was unable to reach it. Her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, then entered the water in an attempt to save her daughter but was also swept away. Mr Shaw tried to reach the mother but was hit by three large waves, smashing his knee against the sea wall.
He later saw Grace floating face down and lost sight of her mother. A third person, Mark Ratcliffe, 67, also drowned while trying to help. Mr Shaw was eventually washed up the ramp and helped to safety by a passer-by. He broke down in tears, saying: 'I knew she'd gone. The sea is in charge here and we are not.'
Both Grace and Sarah Keeling were pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Shaw, who lost his father in a similar drowning in New Brighton when he was 12, said he was 'immensely sad' and that the situation was 'impossible'. The incident occurred around 3pm on Friday, January 2, 2026.
