As families head to beaches near and far over the summer holidays, lifeguards are sharing an important safety reminder around digging holes on the beach.
Building sandcastles and digging pits is a common beach day activity for kids and teens, but excavations that go deeper than knee-height can spell serious trouble.
Earlier this year, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguards for south-east Devon warned of the “dangers of digging large holes in the sand”.
“What may seem like harmless holiday fun can quickly turn into a serious and even deadly situation,” they shared on Instagram.
Why are sand holes so dangerous?
Aside from being a trip hazard for beachgoers, lifeguards and pets, safety experts warn that deep sand holes can collapse without warning, trapping the person (or animal) inside.
“When sand collapses, it rapidly fills any gaps...
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