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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Parents of drowned boy Dylan Cecil relive moment son was swept off jetty | Parents of drowned boy Dylan Cecil relive moment son was swept off jetty |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The grieving parents of a four-year-old boy who died on a visit to the seaside have told of the agonising moment their son disappeared beneath the water. | The grieving parents of a four-year-old boy who died on a visit to the seaside have told of the agonising moment their son disappeared beneath the water. |
| Rachel McCollum and Darren Cecil told an inquest that their son, Dylan, was playing with his two sisters and a cousin on the jetty at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, when he was swept away as waves crashed over the concrete pathway. | Rachel McCollum and Darren Cecil told an inquest that their son, Dylan, was playing with his two sisters and a cousin on the jetty at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, when he was swept away as waves crashed over the concrete pathway. |
| His parents instantly dived in after him, but had to be rescued themselves as extremely strong currents made it almost impossible for them to simply keep their heads above water. | His parents instantly dived in after him, but had to be rescued themselves as extremely strong currents made it almost impossible for them to simply keep their heads above water. |
| Dylan's lifeless body was discovered nearby four days later, when a walker noticed what appeared to be a child "sleeping on the sand". | Dylan's lifeless body was discovered nearby four days later, when a walker noticed what appeared to be a child "sleeping on the sand". |
| Speaking at the inquest into Dylan's death in Taunton on Thursday, both parents wept as they remembered the horrifying moment they realised their son had vanished into the water. | Speaking at the inquest into Dylan's death in Taunton on Thursday, both parents wept as they remembered the horrifying moment they realised their son had vanished into the water. |
| McCollum said the family, who were on holiday from Kettering in Northamptonshire and visiting her parents at the time of the tragedy on 19 August last year, had returned to Burnham beach for the afternoon. The court heard Dylan wanted to see the sea, and so they began to walk down the jetty where many older children were already playing as waves crashed around them. | McCollum said the family, who were on holiday from Kettering in Northamptonshire and visiting her parents at the time of the tragedy on 19 August last year, had returned to Burnham beach for the afternoon. The court heard Dylan wanted to see the sea, and so they began to walk down the jetty where many older children were already playing as waves crashed around them. |
| In a statement read in court, McCollum said: "I turned around and saw Dylan was still jumping in the water. He had moved towards the edge of the jetty. | In a statement read in court, McCollum said: "I turned around and saw Dylan was still jumping in the water. He had moved towards the edge of the jetty. |
| "He was jumping and laughing. But he suddenly went into the water. | "He was jumping and laughing. But he suddenly went into the water. |
| "I heard a plop. I couldn't believe it was him." | "I heard a plop. I couldn't believe it was him." |
| Cecil immediately jumped in to rescue his son, and was followed close behind by McCollum, while shocked onlookers raised the alarm. | Cecil immediately jumped in to rescue his son, and was followed close behind by McCollum, while shocked onlookers raised the alarm. |
| "I was shouting: 'My boy, he's gone'," McCollum said. | "I was shouting: 'My boy, he's gone'," McCollum said. |
| "I realised how strong the current was, it felt like a whirlpool." | "I realised how strong the current was, it felt like a whirlpool." |
| Cecil, a poor swimmer, said he was barely able to take breath as he battled the surging water in the hope of finding his son. | Cecil, a poor swimmer, said he was barely able to take breath as he battled the surging water in the hope of finding his son. |
| He also described how he was so tired he almost surrendered himself to the sea. | He also described how he was so tired he almost surrendered himself to the sea. |
| In a statement read in court, Cecil said: "I couldn't feel the bottom of the sea with my feet. | In a statement read in court, Cecil said: "I couldn't feel the bottom of the sea with my feet. |
| "I managed to get my head above the surface of the water. I was looking around, I couldn't see Dylan. | "I managed to get my head above the surface of the water. I was looking around, I couldn't see Dylan. |
| "I saw Rachel jump in. I can remember her shouting: 'Where's Dylan gone?' | "I saw Rachel jump in. I can remember her shouting: 'Where's Dylan gone?' |
| "All my energy had gone trying to fight against the current. I remember saying: 'I'm gone.' | "All my energy had gone trying to fight against the current. I remember saying: 'I'm gone.' |
| "I really thought I was going to die." | "I really thought I was going to die." |
| He said he thought he heard McCollum scream out to him not to die. | He said he thought he heard McCollum scream out to him not to die. |
| "I then saw my little girl on the jetty," he said. "That must have given me a second lease of life." | "I then saw my little girl on the jetty," he said. "That must have given me a second lease of life." |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |
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