Girl almost buried alive after digging hole on Norfolk beach

Updated
girl almost buried alive on beach in norfolk
girl almost buried alive on beach in norfolk

A warning has gone out after a girl was almost buried alive on Caister beach in Norfolk over the bank holiday weekend.

The girl, believed to be only 10 or 11 years old, 'disapperared' inside a 4ft deep hole that her family dug in the sand, reports Evening News.

Coastwatch volunteers intervened when they noticed the young girl inside the dangerously deep hole as they feared that the sides would collapse.

"We couldn't stand there and watch it going on because we know what could have happened," said volunteer Alan Perry.

They advised the girl's family, who were on holiday in the area, to get her out as quickly as possible and to fill the hole in.

Mr Perry has spoken out about the dangers on the beach and has warned visitors and locals to stay safe on the beach.

"We don't want to be ruin people's holidays and we don't want to stop children playing on the beach, we don't want to lecture," he said. "But we have to keep people safe."

"People, especially those on holiday, don't always see the dangers in front of them. We were up in the watchtower on Saturday and we'd been keeping an eye on them, but it was when the girl got in and you couldn't see her that we knew we had to step in.

"It got to the point where you couldn't see her when she stood up.

"If it had collapsed then she would have been in a lot of trouble. Sand that far down is very compacted and, if she had been digging a tunnel which a lot of kids do, she would have been buried alive."

According to Mr Perry, the National Coastwatch Institution can only offer advice and luckily the family listened and managed to avoid a tragedy.



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