Boys fishing were fished by huge wave.

     Two boys were saved from drowning yesterday when a passer-by jumped into the sea and dragged them to safety. The boys were taken to the St Margaret’s Hospital after the ambulance arrived. The two 15 year old boys, Tony Slater and Alan Boyd, were fishing on the pier when a huge wave came and dragged him over the edge of the pier. A young woman, Joy Revel, and her boyfriend were walking along the promenade when Tony was thrown into the sea. Joy’s boyfriend ran to call for help. Joy had seen the whole thing as well as the second boy trying to save his friend, “It was all very frightening.” she said “One of his friends jumped in but he was not a strong swimmer and he started to struggle”
     In effort to save his friend Alan jumped in after him but couldn’t help him because of the strong current. “I didn’t think; I just jumped in to try to help him. The current was so strong it was just forcing us both out to sea” Alan said after the event. To the boys luck, a qualified lifesaver, Mark Stebbings, was near the scene at the time and immediately jumped into the water to save them.
     Mark commented that it was sheer chance that he was there, “I don’t normally go anywhere near the beach at this time of the year.”
     The police at the scene expressed their concern with the safety hazards of the pier and said, “We are investigating complaints that the pier is not a safe place for fishing.” The grateful mother of Tony Slater commented, “It’s about time the council did something about that pier. It is not safe for pier.” Mrs. Slater was not the only one grateful. Tony said, “I haven’t seen him (Mark Stebbings) since to thank him, but I owe him my life.”