More than two decades after eight-year-old Jordan Moon drowned at Seaton Carew, his family continues to push for enhanced safety measures on the beach. The campaign has been reignited following the deaths of two men on the same beach on 12 July 2026, who died while rescuing two children.
Petition launched by childhood friend
Jordan's childhood best friend, Becca Ringwood, now 33, started a petition demanding more lifeguards at the popular seafront. Within 24 hours, the petition, backed by Jordan's mother, had garnered over 1,500 signatures from people determined to prevent further tragedies.
Ringwood said: "We were always together. It has impacted all of our lives, it is with us every single day. I can't go to the beach and I won't let my children go to the beach. I have tried and tried for years, going backwards and forwards to the council for more lifeguards. How many more lives is it going to cost?"
The tragedy that sparked the campaign
Jordan was on the beach in August 2003 with relatives and friends when a freak wave swept him out to sea. A rescue helicopter lifted him from the water and airlifted him to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, but he could not be saved. Just two years earlier, Hartlepool Council had reduced lifeguard services to cut costs.
Current lifeguard provision
Currently, lifeguards patrol Seaton Carew only during the six-week school summer holiday period. The petition argues that this limited coverage overlooks busy periods before and after the holidays. According to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), lifeguards in the UK saved over 348 lives and aided nearly 19,000 people in 2019 alone.
The petition states: "Hartlepool, a coastal haven cherished by residents and visitors alike, draws thousands to its sands and waves. Yet, the persistent risk posed by a lack of lifeguards is a shadow over this charm. The sea doesn't close shop after summer holidays, and neither should our safety measures."
Council recruitment drive
Hartlepool Council posted a recruitment drive on 5 March 2026 for lifeguards at Seaton Carew, seeking eight beach lifeguards and four supervisors to cover the school summer holiday period from 18 July to 1 September. Councillor Karen Oliver, chair of the Council's Housing, Growth and Communities Committee, said: "Our beach lifeguards play a vital role, so we are looking for high quality candidates who are fit, strong swimmers, good team workers, reliable, calm under pressure, with good communications skills."
Teesside Live has contacted the council for further details on lifeguard provision and a response to the petition.
