A charity in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, is issuing urgent warnings about teenagers risking their lives by "tombstoning" into the sea from the roof of a building it owns, an activity that is also terrorizing families with disabled or ill children who use the holiday home.
The Harriet Davis Seaside Holiday Trust has implored police, parents, and local authorities to intervene before a fatality occurs. Senior Administrator Carol Lincoln stated that the activity poses an "extremely serious danger to life," not only to the young people jumping but also to any fishing or other boats that might be in the water below.
According to Lincoln, the situation has significantly escalated, with as many as 24 young people observed on the roof during every high tide, jumping into the harbor. The trust has also reported instances of youths hammering on doors and windows as they access and descend from the roof, which is causing fear among the vulnerable families staying at the property.
"This is understandably terrifying for the vulnerable families staying inside the property," Lincoln said. "Many families are only able to have a holiday because our properties provide the specialist equipment and facilities they require. For many of them, this is an extremely precious opportunity to spend time together and create positive family memories in circumstances where ordinary holidays are simply not possible."
The charity has incurred thousands of pounds in repair costs due to the ongoing damage to the building's fabric. The trust has attempted to prevent access by removing outdoor bins that teenagers were using to climb onto the roof. However, the youths reportedly resorted to stealing fuel bins from the harbor to gain entry.
In an effort to further deter the trespassers, the trust installed anti-climb paint and plastic spikes on the roof and access points. These measures have been met with vandalism, with the youths smearing the paint and ripping off the spikes, exacerbating the damage.
County Councillor Michael Williams has also written to the police in support of the charity, expressing concern about potential fatalities and criminal damage. He noted that the trust and its guests are being let down by the perceived inaction of authorities.
Tombstoning, the act of jumping from a height into water, has been linked to numerous fatalities and serious injuries across the UK. Notable incidents include the death of Vincent Wagstaff in 2016 at Dead Man's Cove in Plymouth, where teenager Ben Thompson was paralyzed in 2010 after a similar jump. More recently, 15-year-old Jack Dolan sustained brain damage after jumping from a pier in Margate in 2024.
Harbor areas like Tenby and Plymouth are particularly dangerous due to significant changes in water depth during high and low tides, making such jumps unpredictable and hazardous. The Daily Mail has contacted Dyfed Powys Police for comment on the situation in Tenby.