Lifeguard campaigner 'heartbroken' over deaths
BBCA woman whose childhood best friend drowned at the same spot where two men died over the weekend says she is "heartbroken" that safety measures have not been put in place.
Becca Ringwood, close friend of Jordan Moon who died 23 years ago aged eight in the water off Seaton Carew beach, said she has spent years campaigning for lifeguards to be in place there all summer.
On Sunday, two men died having gone into the sea to rescue two children who were in difficulty.
On Monday, Hartlepool Borough Council leader Graham Harrison said he has asked for "a full review of the current water safety arrangements at Seaton Carew".
Ringwood said: "I just felt shocked and heartbroken that the incident happened again and it is just re-living everything.
"It's awful because we have tried and tried and we have pushed to try and get lifeguards back on these beaches for longer than the [school] summer holidays."
Her petition for summer-long lifeguard cover has so far gained 2,600 signatures.
"We have got people travelling to the area and their holidays are different, where are the lifeguards for them?" she said.
"They should be on for the whole season, that is all we are asking for."
The men who died on Sunday have been named locally as Wayne Taylor and Ian Pascoe, although formal identification has not yet taken place.
Police said the children were taken to hospital to be checked over and were confirmed to be safe.
Hartlepool, Redcar and Staithes Coastguard Rescue Teams attended the emergency on Sunday, as well as the RNLI, Cleveland Police and North East Ambulance Service.
