A violent altercation broke out on Polzeath beach in Cornwall after a family with two young children entered the water despite a red flag warning during Storm Austen on Friday, October 23. A passer-by who approached the family to warn them about the dangers was punched by the father.
Family enters red-flagged water during Storm Austen
Storm Austen brought gusts of up to 80mph to some coastal areas of Cornwall, according to the Met Office. A couple and their two small children were filmed on the beach wearing wetsuits and carrying bodyboards, becoming the only beachgoers present.
Shortly before 2pm, a male passer-by confronted the family. The father adopted an aggressive posture, raised his fists, and then struck the man before the passer-by left the area. The father then headed toward the water with one of his children.
Witness describes the incident
An anonymous observer said: "I was just at Polzeath Beach and witnessed a family with young children enter the red-flagged beach... A passerby then approached them and the father of the family proceeded to punch him in the face!"
The witness added: "We were sat having a coffee and watched the family with very young-looking kids heading down to the water's edge, battling with their boogie boards. We thought they must be crazy going in as the swell and sea state was so rough, not to mention the 50 mph winds!"
RNLI removes family from beach
After the altercation, the passer-by walked off, and a few minutes later lifeguards asked the family to leave. The witness said: "The passerby didn't seem to take the bait and shrugged it off. He said that soon after the RNLI arrived and removed the family, saying they 'were glad to see' it."
Storm Austen is the first named storm of the season, bringing strong gales and heavy rain across much of the UK. A red flag at a beach signals hazardous conditions, including high surf or strong rip currents, meaning the water should be avoided.
