Fishguard, Wales – What began as a routine training night for Fishguard RNLI volunteers quickly turned into a dramatic rescue on Thursday evening.

Volunteers were gathering at the station when a call came through at 6:51 p.m. to launch the charity’s D class inshore lifeboat, Edward Arthur Richardson. Two 13-year-old children had been cut off by the tide near Lampit, opposite the end of Lower Town Quay.

The children managed to attract attention by shouting to people on the quay, who contacted HM Coastguard and used vehicle headlights to illuminate the area.

Once afloat, the lifeboat reached the rocks where the children were trapped, roughly two meters above the water’s edge. The crew assessed whether the lifeboat could safely extract the children or if further support was needed from the Coastguard cliff teams.

With calm water and sufficient depth, two crew members went ashore over the bow, fitted the children with lifejackets, and guided them across slippery rocks and seaweed back into the lifeboat. A third crew member operated the searchlight to ensure visibility throughout the operation.

The children were then safely returned to Lower Town Quay, where a waiting Coastguard team took them into care.

This marked the first service launch of the year for Fishguard RNLI and the first operational shout for volunteer Alfie Bean, who had recently received his pager.

Helm Bryn Smith praised the children’s calm response: “Their calm, clear thinking and actions alerted people nearby that they needed assistance. Had they tried to find their own way out there was a possibility of injury caused by a slip or fall.”

He added a warning for future visitors: “Always ensure you have a means of calling for help and that someone knows where you are. Should anyone find themselves in a similar situation, try to remain calm, summon attention, and do not enter the water.”

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