Lives are being "put at risk" as vandals continually damage and steal vital safety equipment along Wirral's coastline. Wirral Council has strongly condemned the actions of individuals who remove or tamper with buoyancy aids, rope ladders, and other lifesaving gear placed at strategic locations along the peninsula's waterfront.
Latest incident involves fire and theft
In the most recent incident on the evening of Sunday, June 21, a group of young people reportedly removed several buoyancy rings and set them on fire. A community safety officer from the council also discovered that two rope ladders, used to help people in difficulty during high tides climb clear of the water, were missing.
Cllr Jenny Johnson, chair of the council's Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee, said: “It is staggering that there are those in our community who are willing to put other people’s lives directly at risk. I can’t think of a single excuse why anyone would want to damage or steal this equipment, which is there to protect the public and save lives.”
Coastguard warns of devastating consequences
Michael Buratti, area commander for HM Coastguard, added: “I am extremely disappointed to see continued incidents of vandalism involving life rings along our coastline, this type of behaviour is reckless. Life rings are not decorative items, they are essential lifesaving pieces of equipment that are placed at key locations to be used in an emergency. When a life ring is damaged, removed or tampered with, it may not be there for someone who genuinely needs it, and that could have devastating consequences.”
Buratti emphasised that in a coastal emergency, immediate access to a life ring can make a critical difference, and vandalism puts both the public and emergency responders at risk.
Hazardous Mersey Estuary heightens danger
The Mersey Estuary is notoriously hazardous, featuring the third-fastest tidal run in Europe with speeds reaching up to 10 knots. The estuary’s narrow mouth causes a severe “bottleneck” effect, meaning the incoming tide can rise drastically in under three hours, creating trouble for even experienced swimmers and coastal walkers.
Life rings, ropes, ladders, and other safety equipment are placed in various locations around the Wirral coastline, particularly along the eastern Mersey side of the borough.
Repeat vandalism and taxpayer costs
The latest incident follows similar criminal damage reported by the Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team on Facebook in May, when two life rings were found burned on the beach. The team thanked the council’s community safety team for quickly replacing the damaged equipment and for conducting regular checks to ensure availability.
Cllr Johnson added: “This is a further factor that people need to remember. This equipment has to be accessible, easily identifiable and able to be used quickly – we just can’t lock it away. Every time an item is damaged or removed, it has to be replaced at the taxpayer’s expense. It is therefore everybody’s duty to look after this kit and if they see it being misused or interfered with, report it to the police straight away.”
