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Sea warning after girl's drowning Sea warning after girl's drowning
(about 1 hour later)
A coroner has warned of the dangers of playing in the sea after an inquest into the drowning of a 12-year-old girl off Anglesey.A coroner has warned of the dangers of playing in the sea after an inquest into the drowning of a 12-year-old girl off Anglesey.
Non-swimmer Sarah Louise Roberts was swept out of her depth by an offshore current off Llanddwyn island. Sarah Louise Roberts, of Star, Anglesey, was swept out of her depth by an offshore current off Llanddwyn island.
Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said it reinforced the message that there was no such thing as a safe beach, especially involving children. Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said it reinforced the message that there was no such thing as a safe beach, especially where children are involved.
A narrative verdict was recorded at the inquest in Caernarfon. A narrative verdict was recorded.
Sarah had been on the beach off Newborough, with her foster family in August 2005. The inquest in Caernarfon was told Sarah had had swimming lessons at school and could swim "a bit."
She went into the water to play with four other children but it is believed she swam off and was then swept out to sea by the tide. She had been on the beach off Newborough, with her foster mother Paulette Foster, her friend, and four other children in August 2005.
Delivering a narrative verdict, which outlines events leading to the death, the coroner urged parents and carers to observe children more carefully at the seaside. If the delay (in calling the emergency services) was actually half an hour or more then that's to be deplored. Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones
Mrs Foster told the inquest that Sarah was desperate to get into the sea.
To begin with she played with the other children but gradually Sarah went further and further out.
The inquest was told the other children knew she was going further out and they called to her to come back, but she ignored their calls.
Suddenly the children looked round and Sarah had disappeared so the other children left the scene and came up the beach.
At that point a beach warden got involved and the inquest heard differing versions of what happened.
Safe beach
Mrs Foster said the beach warden delayed calling the emergency services for more than 30 minutes.
But the beach warden Richard Mulcahy said the delay was no more than five minutes.
Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said: "If the delay (in calling the emergency services) was actually half an hour or more then that's to be deplored.
"The coastguard should have been summoned immediately it was suspected someone had disappeared in the water."
Recording a narrative verdict, which outlines events leading to the death, the coroner said this reinforced the fact that there was no such thing as a safe beach, particularly as far as children were concerned.
The coroner also said Sarah's stubbornness contributed to her death. "When the boys called for her to come back she ignored them"
'Lovely daughter'
He also urged parents and carers to observe children more carefully at the seaside.
"It's part of growing up to have a wonderful time on the beach. But for parents it should be borne in mind that there's no such thing as a safe beach," he said.
After the inquest, solicitor Bethan Jones, representing Sarah's mother Susan, said :"She was a lovely daughter and is missed very much.
"The family don't want to go into the specifics of what happened that day. It's a difficult time for them."