Boy lost A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY ran about a mile long Cromer beach and up cliff steps to the Coastguard lookout on Monday afternoon, August 28, 1978, to raise the alarm that his small brother, aged seven, had disappeared in the sea.

The young boy had been standing waist deep in the sea when a wave knocked him down and he had not been seen again. His mother, two brothers and a sister were still on the beach looking for him. It was 1455.

Cromer D class ILB was launched immediately, went to the area and searched close inshore to a mile down tide. A helicopter, also alerted, joined the search, the Coastguard mobile was taken to a point up on the cliff close to the scene and the Police organised search parties along the water's edge.

Two ILB crew members, Mark Windows and John Blackburn, wearing wet suits, went to the beach and with great courage made a detailed search in the very rough water round the groynes.

By now six foot waves were breaking on the beach and inshore, making it impossible for the ILB to get close to the groynes; indeed her crew had to use all their skill to continue their search through the breaking seas.

There was, sadly no sign of the boyand at 1648 the Police called off the search. His body was found next morning in the surf at Overstrand Beach.

For this service letters of appreciation signed by John Atterton, deputy director of the Institution, were sent to Crew Members Mark Windows and John Blackburn..