Two fathers have died after entering the sea at Seaton Carew beach near Hartlepool, County Durham, in an attempt to rescue two children who were struggling in the waves. Ian Pascoe, 62, a grandfather, and Wayne Taylor, the father of the two children, lost their lives during the incident.
Pascoe, who was walking along the beach with his wife and granddaughter, entered the water when he saw the children in distress. His son, Dan Pascoe, stated that his father "did not hesitate" to act and that he was the kind of person who "always done the right thing."
Taylor was on a family day out when his nine-year-old son and younger daughter got into difficulty in the water due to a stiff breeze and large waves. He rushed into the sea to save them. The children were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution but were unharmed.
Several individuals entered the water before the RNLI rescue operation began. Davey Short, who was on the beach, described seeing one child in trouble and then a second figure, whom he later realized was the children's father, face down in the water. Short was the third person to enter the water and, with assistance from another individual, managed to bring one of the children to shore.
A GoFundMe page set up by a friend of the Taylor family has raised nearly £9,000 to support the families. The page expresses gratitude to those who assisted in saving the children and acknowledges the profound pain the families are enduring.