Blyth, Northumberland. At 7.50 on the evening of the 6th July, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary sec- retary that a swimmer was in difficulties off Seaton Sluice beach. There was a light south-westerly breeze and the sea was calm. The tide was half flood.

At eight o'clock the life-boat Winston Churchill (Civil Service No. 8) was launched. The pilot boat and a fast private launch had already put out to the swimmer. News was then received that four swimmers had been reported to be in difficulties, and this information was passed to the life-boat. The private launch and the pilot boat had each picked up a girl, and two of the life- boat's crew were put on board the pilot boat to render first aid to the rescued girl while she was being taken to the pilot jetty. Four blankets were also put on board the pilot boat, and the girl had nearly recovered by the time the boat reached the shore. A helicopteralso managed to rescue two men who were in the water, and it was thought that the rescue was now complete.

However, two other girls, who had managed to reach the shore, reported that a sister of one of them was still in the sea. The life-boat returned to the area to continue searching, but it was then discovered that this girl was the one who had been rescued by the pilot boat. The life-boat finally reached her station at ten o'clock..