TWENTY-THREE CHILDREN CUT OFF BY TIDE Newhaven, Sussex. At 3.25 on the afternoon of the 29th June, 1963, the Newhaven coastguard informed the coxswain that the police had reported twenty-three children cut off by the tide at Seaford head. The life-boat Kathleen Mary was launched at 3.32, taking a dinghy with her. There was a moderate to fresh south-westerly wind and a moderate sea. The tide was half flood.

When the life-boat reached the position the coxswain decided that it would be unwise to take the children off in the dinghy, as he felt that they might well become more frightened by the sea spray breaking into the boat. He considered that they were in no danger, and in order to allay their fears he broadcast this fact over the loud hailer and asked them to stay quietly where they were. The life-boat stood by until a helicopter arrived, and the children were eventually lifted and landed on the cliff top. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at six o'clock..