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Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Woman in her 30s dies at Durdle Door beauty spot on hottest day of the year - as government scientists issues alert over 'killer' temperatures
A woman in her 30s has died at a popular coastal beauty spot during the hottest day of the year. Coastguards, lifeboat crews, and air ambulance and police rushed to the iconic Durdle Door beach in Dorset at around 1pm after receiving reports of a woman in need of urgent medical attention. Emergency responders carried out CPR on the victim but she was pronounced dead at the scene. It is not known if the woman had been in the water prior to her dying or had suffered a medical episode on the beach. The woman's family have been made aware of her death, which is not being treated as suspicious, Dorset Police said. The tragedy took place on the hottest day of the year so far, as thermometers reached 30.1C at St James's Park in London earlier today. Amid the scorching temperatures, the Government's UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated a five-day amber heat-health alert from midday today until Monday morning. There are fears there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions' and 'significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures'. A police spokesperson said: 'We received a report at 1.13pm of a woman in need of medical attention at Durdle Door beach. 'Officers attended alongside the ambulance service and HM Coastguard and a cordon was put in place. 'Very sadly the woman, aged in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next of kin has been informed. 'Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time. The death is not being treated as suspicious. ' Dozens of people ventured to the iconic coastal landmark earlier today as the mercury soared above 30C for the first time this year. Before today, the warmest day of the year so far had been reached last Friday when temperatures got up to 29.4C (84.9F) at Santon Downham in Suffolk. That broke the previous record for 2025 which stood at 29.3C (84.7F), recorded on May 1 at Kew Gardens in London. But records are unlikely to be broken this week for the UK's highest temperature in June, which was 35.6C (96.1F) in Southampton during the historic heatwave of 1976. The mercury has steadily risen in recent days with highs of 25.2C (77.4F) last Sunday, 26.7C (80.1F) on Monday, 27.9C (82.2F) on Tuesday and 29.3C (84.7F) yesterday. They could rise further to 32C (90F) this afternoon before similar highs tomorrow and 34C (93F) on Saturday. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and pollen levels will also be high. Friday and Saturday nights will be uncomfortable for sleeping, with temperatures possibly staying above 20C (68F) in places, which is known as a 'tropical night'. The heatwave is likely to officially end after Saturday, but the weather from Sunday into the middle of next week will stay warm with a range of 24C (75F) to 26C (79F).
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Friends were pulled underwater as they desperately tried to stop bodybuilder teenager drowning after he jumped off pier, inquest told
Two friends were pulled underwater as they desperately tried to stop their friend from drowning after he jumped in to the sea as part of an end of exam celebration, an inquest as heard. Despite their best efforts to save him David Ejimofor, 15, tragically died at Aberavon beach, Neath port Talbot, on Monday, June 19, 2023. The hearing at Swansea Coroners' Court heard that David had told his friends he was not a confident swimmer just before attempting the stunt but his friends encouraged him to jump in anyway. Swansea University pathologist Dr Williams noted that the promising bodybuilder was told by his pals that they would help him if he found himself struggling to swim. As soon as David jumped in he began thrashing around in panic and two of his school friends tried to keep him afloat but were pulled underwater themselves. Dr Williams told the hearing: 'Witnesses say all males except for David were completing a series of jumps from the pier. 'Two of the males shouted to David join them and he said he wasn't a good swimmer. 'They explained they would help him. When David jumped into the water they began to assist him and they were being pulled below water.' The sport star and TikToker was heavier than a typical 15-year-old and had a bodybuilder's diet. The inquest heard that witnesses noted that the teenagers who had tried to keep David afloat were physically 'exhausted'. One eyewitness, fisherman Luke McDonald said he watched as David's friend egged him on to jump in and believed he was safe and supported by the other teens. He said: 'I saw thrashing around a bit. I saw some others grab him and keep him afloat. He looked like he had support. I turned back to my fishing rod. I then heard them say they couldn't see him. I heard someone shout: 'I can't see Dave.' The terrifying scenes were quickly noted by those on the beach and pier who tried to help the struggling school pupils by diving in and throwing a life ring over to the group. Tyler Rowland, an off-duty police officer at the beach who was paddleboarding at the time, told the court he heard several of the seven teenagers return to the beach in panic. DC Rowland said: 'I remember hearing one of them say: "He's gone." I paddled towards them and some of them told me someone had gone under the water and hadn't come up. 'Two or three of the boys, aged around 15 and 16, were in the water and were shaken up and treading water. One of them said something like: 'He's a big boy and he can't swim.' They were in real panic. A teenage girl was screaming at them, "Look for him, look for him."' The inquest heard that the police officer dived several times searching for David's body before eventually finding it in the murky water. He said: 'I dived down and was searching the floor with my hands. It was completely dark and I couldn't see anything. My hands hit what I thought was a rock at first. I then was convinced it was the top of an arm. I was on the sea floor at this point and the male was flat on the seabed. DC Roland then described placing the life ring over schoolboy's head and swimming with him to shore alongside his exhausted school friends. He told the inquest: 'We put the ring over his head and put his arms out of the ring either side. He was completely limp and kept sliding out of the ring. He was motionless. 'I told the boys: "Grab the ring and swim as far as you can." They were exhausted.' Paramedic Barry Edwards said according to witness reports David had been under the water for 10 minutes. He said two shocks were administered using the defibrillator and advanced life support was provided at the scene before the bodybuilder was pronounced dead at 8.05pm. The paramedic was helped to carry the body to shore by nurse Amy Saunders who was at the beach and described 'never experiencing trauma like it' as she worked with the emergency services. Teachers at his St Joseph's Catholic School in Port Talbot said it was 'deeply saddened' by the 'tragic and unexpected passing away' of one its pupils. David's mother Maria Ejimofor said her son was superfit - and won athletics competitions, was a keen weightlifter and made TikTok tutorials on social media. She described her son as 'beautiful young boy,' who was 'bright and sporty'. His mother's statement said he 'achieved so much in his 15 years' and had aspirations to become a doctor. Mrs Ejimofor told the court her son wasn't a strong swimmer and she and her family were 'shocked' to hear he had jumped into the water from the pier. She said he was able to swim after having lessons as a child but he was not confident in the water. The heartbroken mother added that he often went to the beach a mile from his home because his family lived close by but was always cautious of the sea. 'I never saw him paddle further than up to his knees or thighs. He was not a risk-taker. He would not put his head in the open water. He was fully aware that he was not the strongest of swimmers. He was particularly cautious around open water,' she said. Paying tribute to David she said he was a 'bright and curious soul who always had a smile on his face'. She added: 'He was honest, caring, intelligent, polite, independent, hardworking, full of life, respectful, and a beautiful young boy who had achieved so much in his 15 years. 'David was a beacon of positivity and resilience. He brought joy and laughter and his memory will remain in the hearts of those fortunate to have known him. His spirit inspires us to find strength in the most difficult moments.'
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Teen who drowned at Aberavon could not swim, inquest hears
A teenager who died after jumping into the sea from a pier had told friends he "couldn't swim", an inquest has Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot, on 19 June 2023 after joining friends at the beach to celebrate the end of their hearing, at Swansea's Guildhall, heard from a fisherman who said he heard the boy telling other teenagers he "couldn't swim".His mother, Maria Ejimofor, described her son as "beautiful young boy," who was "bright and sporty". The fisherman, Ethan Clarke, said he heard the teenagers telling the boy "it would be fine" despite telling them he could not Clarke said the teenager jumped in and he began to panic as soon as he entered the then disappeared under the water at which point the teenagers called for Rowland, an off-duty police officer, was paddleboarding with his partner at the noticed a group of seven teenagers at the pier about 19:00 BST, with some in the saw three head back to shore and told the inquest he heard them saying "he's gone".Mr Rowland said one teenager told him his friend had "gone under the water and not come back up".Mr Rowland jumped off his paddleboard and swam over to the group as they frantically looking for David. The inquest heard he dived down several times before finding David's was helped to carry the body to shore by a nurse called Amy Saunders who was at the a statement read out in court, she described the efforts to rescue David at the beach as "never experiencing trauma like it".The coroner also read a statement from David's mother, Maria court heard he won athletics competitions, was a keen weightlifter and made TikTok tutorials on social media. His mother's statement said he "achieved so much in his 15 years" and had aspirations to become a said he could swim after having lessons as a child but he was not confident in the statement added "he would not have put himself in a dangerous situation" because he was not a risk often went to the beach because his family lived close by but was always cautious of the inquest continues.
