Young people have been seen jumping from heights of up to 65 feet in a practice known as tombstoning, forcing officials to lay down warnings. Experts say that youngsters could hit unseen objects in the sea or land badly, causing severe injuries. 

With some sea and river temperatures being as low as 15C, they have also warned of the risks of cold water shock which can affect breathing and movement. 

They urge that even among strong swimmers, it is one of the biggest causes of drowning. 

Councillor Morris Bright, Vice Chairman of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Tombstoning is extremely dangerous and anyone doing it is dicing with death or risks ending up with life-changing or serious injuries. 

“The message is clear – if you don’t know that the depth of the water is safe or you cannot see what is below the surface, don’t jump or let alcohol, drugs or peer pressure affect your judgement. 

“Even if you are jumping safely, children may be watching you and copy your actions. 

“Sea and river temperatures can also be deceptive and can cause people’s body temperature to plummet, leading to cold water shock and increasing the risk of drowning, 

“While sea currents or undertow, even on a calm day, can create life-threatening hazards without warning.” 

The appeal comes after a recent spike in tombstoning as a result of the warm weather that has basked Britain. 

Recently, coastguard services have been called to people jumping off cliffs around Knightstone Island in Weston-super-mare. 

In other recent incidents, a woman broke both of her legs after jumping into the sea and hitting rocks in Dorset, while a young man was airlifted to hospital after tombstoning near Torquay. 

Just days ago, a topless man was seen diving from Pigeon’s Cove in Yorkshire into the sea below as images were shared to social media. 

The coastguard has had to deal with more than 200 incidents of tombstoning since 2004, with 70 people suffering injuries and 20 killed as a result of taking part. 

DON’T MISS
Man left paralysed from neck down warns of dangers of tombstoning [NEWS]
Tombstoner fights for life after 40ft leap off pier into 3ft of sea [RELATED]
Youth risks life ‘tombstoning’ by jumping height of TWO HOUSES from historic bridge [NEWS]

A spokeswoman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said: “It is important to understand that it is an unpredictable activity, as there are dangers that might not be clear at first glance.

“Anyone considering jumping into the sea from height should always check for hazards in the water like submerged rocks and check the depth of the water, knowing that, for example, a jump of 10 metres required a depth of at least five metres.” 

Children have also been spotted jumping into the sea near Old Portsmouth and in front of a ferry at Eastney, Portsmouth. 

A group of young boys were seen diving from scaffolding into the sea in Plymouth as the latest craze moves across the coast. 

The new faze has seen a headteacher of a local school in Bournemouth write to parents after there were reports of teenage boys tombstoning into a river, 

The coastal town also saw police called to drunk people jumping from its famous pier earlier this month. 

After the incident, Duty Controller for HM Coastguard, James Instance, confirmed that he has seen a rise in the number of tombstoning incidents over the last few weeks and stressed of the dangers of taking part. 

He added: “If you’re thinking about cooling off in the sea please make sure you’re aware of the dangers.” 

Videos of tombstoning on YouTube have been viewed thousands of times as thrill-seekers explore the latest techniques. 

Emergency teams have utilised the video-sharing site to spread their message, with the RNLI and Kent Police uploading videos aimed at deterring youngsters from getting involved. 

Source: Read Full Article