Two men have died after entering the sea in an attempt to rescue two children who had got into difficulty in the water at a beach near Hartlepool. What began as an effort to help the youngsters ended in tragedy, and the incident cast a shadow over the coastal community at a time when the summer's hot weather has been drawing people to the water.
The emergency unfolded when the two children got into trouble while in the sea. According to the account, the two men went into the water to try to help them, stepping in at a moment when the situation had suddenly become dangerous and the children were struggling to cope with the conditions in the water.
The alarm was raised in the middle of the afternoon. According to police, officers were called to Seaton Carew Beach at around a quarter to four in the afternoon, and a rescue response was launched as emergency crews made their way to the scene to help those who were in difficulty in the water.
For the two children, the outcome was ultimately a relief. According to the account, the youngsters were taken to hospital following the incident and have been confirmed to be safe, sparing their families the worst even as attention turned to the two men who had gone into the sea to help them.
The rescue effort at sea brought the men back towards the shore. According to the account, the two men were brought out of the water by the RNLI, whose crews are regularly called upon to respond to people in difficulty along the coast, particularly during spells of warm weather when more people head to the beaches.
Despite those efforts, the men could not be saved. According to the account, the two men died a short time after being recovered from the water, turning a rescue attempt into a double loss and leaving the local community to absorb the shock of what had happened at the beach.
The deaths came amid renewed warnings about the dangers of open water. According to emergency services, the serious risks that come with swimming in the sea and other open water have been underlined as the current hot spell continues, with people urged to take care around the coast even as high temperatures make the water tempting.