A woman was rescued by RNLI lifeboat crews after becoming trapped in sinking sand on Rhyl beach in Denbighshire as the tide rapidly came in. The incident occurred at around 9pm on Friday, 29 May, near Splash Point in the seaside resort.
By the time rescuers arrived, the woman was submerged up to her waist in water. The RNLI Rhyl inshore lifeboat was launched within minutes. A crew member supported the casualty on their back, which freed her feet from the sand. She was then recovered into the lifeboat and taken back to the station for a check-over and warm-up.
The woman's mother expressed gratitude to the RNLI crew on social media, with another well-wisher adding: 'Thank you so very much for saving a very special lady.' The RNLI advises those caught in soft sand to stay calm, avoid struggling, lean back to spread body weight, and gently move legs to break the sand's suction.
In a separate incident, RNLI Holyhead responded to its fourth call-out of the half-term holiday when two jetskiers became stranded on sandbanks near Traeth Penrhos beach. No injuries were reported, and the jetskiers managed to refloat and return to Llanfwrog. Safety advice was given, and the RNLI reminded water users to be aware of tides and local water conditions.
