RNLI lifeguards and Cardigan lifeboat crew joined forces yesterday afternoon to assist a father and his teenage son who had got into trouble near Mammoth Rock. RNLI lifeguards

were patrolling the beach at Aberporth when they heard shouting for help.

RNLI lifeguards Cass Brown (27) and Luke Rogers (19) were monitoring the beach at 4.30pm when the alarm was raised. Cass decided to paddle round on the rescue board to investigate when she found a 51-year-old man on the rocks, covered in cuts. The man and his 17-year-old son had been jumping off the rocks into the water, but due to the big swell, they had trouble climbing back to safety.

The two, who were from Leicester and visiting family in the area, had been jumping off Mammoth Rock into the sea. Unfortunately they hadn’t timed the jump correctly and they both found themselves being pushed into the rocks by the waves. The son managed to climb back onto the rocks but the father kept slipping and was being pulled under by the waves. The son eventually managed to pull his father to safety as a member of the public, who saw the incident unfold, started shouting for help.

Cass climbed onto the rocks to assess the injured man who was reluctant to return into the sea to be escorted to safety due to the trauma he had experienced. She then requested the assistance of Cardigan RNLI lifeboat crew to help transfer the man to safety.

Cardigan’s Atlantic 85 RNLI lifeboat proceeded to the scene following a request from Milford Haven Coastguard. The volunteer crew received reports that two people – a dad and his teenage son - were injured after climbing rocks and one was badly hurt.

The volunteer RNLI crew faced tough conditions making their way to the scene.

RNLI helmsman Len Walters says:

‘The wind was blowing a northerly 4-5, which is the worst possible direction for us. Conditions really were quite nasty, with wind against tide. It has been blowing all day and the sea really was quite lumpy.

‘We also called for assistance from our D-class lifeboat, but due to the conditions, we realised the crew would take longer than usual to arrive.’

When the RNLI lifeboat arrived on scene, the casualties were being assisted by RNLI lifeguard Cass Brown. Luke Rodgers was also at the scene on a rescue board offering assistance and keeping watch for the arrival of the lifeboat crew.

The casualties were wearing wetsuits and were very cold. Helmsman Len Walters skilfully veered down the Atlantic into a gully. The least injured of the pair was transferred aboard the lifeboat first, with help from the RNLI lifeguards, and the second casualty was then brought aboard the lifeboat.

The volunteer lifeboat crew transferred the father and son from the rocks to the safety of Aberporth beach. The two were checked over by the RNLI lifeguards and lifeboat crew and it was decided that no further medical assistant was required.

Len added:

‘The RNLI lifeguards, who was the first on scene did a fantastic job. Definitely a good team effort and I would like to personally thank them for the assistance offered to Cardigan’s crew.’