TERRIFYING drone footage shows children deliberately dicing with death as huge waves smash into a pier.
The footage shows children running up to the edge of a slipway where waves can be seen thundering over just seconds later.
According to locals in Westward Ho!, Devon, a person was swept off the same slipway the same night, Tuesday, and was fortunate to survive.
The sudden hot snap has sent thousands of people flocking to the beaches. Yesterday a five-year-old girl died when she was swept out to sea in Durdle Door, Dorset, just 50 miles away.
The drone footage from Westward Ho! shows kids taking ‘serious risks’ with their lives when they get close to the waves, and was posted to Facebook by Alex Hall, for ‘educational’ purposes.
Alex posted two clips. The first shows the sea crashing up on the corner of the slip road where it meets a walled area of the pier.
The waves effortlessly sweep up a coffee sign or cone and claim it from the slipway. The object can be seen being dragged down the slip road by the waves and into the sea.
The footage then cuts to a group of what looks like mostly teenage boys, running up to the wall and waiting for signs of the crashing waves.
The kids seem to actually be trying to get hit by the thundering current as they hesitate in order for the waves to hit their backs and move with them.
At one point two of the boys get swept up and one of them is knocked down by the waves. His friend helps him up to his feet again and he seems unharmed.
Unphased, the two boys then run back to the edge of the wall, continuing their game.
Alex Hall posted: “Sorry to share this but I feel some education is in order, especially as someone was swept off the slipway last night.
“The first clip shows a coffee sign or cone effortlessly being swept off the slipway. The second shows a group of kids taking some serious risks.”
Other residents were horrified at children’s lack of respect for the sea.
Jon Webb wrote: “Great demonstration of the dangers of the sea, perhaps someone can tag someone from the life/coast guards/RNLI they might find this useful from an educational aspect. I hope no one got hit by a stone.
Marshall Lee wrote: “I’m literally bezuzzled by the lack of respect of the sea. It’s drummed into you from birth around here.”
Michelle Ann Cockram wrote: “Kids will be kids at the end of the day but gosh that’s so scary. I hope that scared them into not doing it again. Complete lack of respect for the sea.
Ian Tina Hillyer wrote: “Where are the parents?? They must question why their kids came home soaked, it’s not rocket science.
Maggie Reid added: “Apparently a woman was swept off the slipway last night.”
A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The video of these young people dodging waves is alarming and they are incredibly lucky that they weren’t swept out to sea or injured.
“The sea can be unforgiving, and we cannot stress enough that piers, rocks, harbours, slipways are not safe places to be when the waves are crashing over them.’
‘Playing chicken with waves is extremely dangerous. We would urge people to think carefully about the risks they take. If you see anyone in trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
