Withernsea sea deaths leaves ‘happy little town’ reeling

After a sea tragedy which left two people dead, with a third still missing, the small East Yorkshire resort of Withernsea is a community in mourning. Residents speak of their pain but also of their resolve to support one another and the families affected.

The contrast is as stark as the wind driving snow into the faces of rescuers – wrapped-up families carrying buckets and spades heading to the beach to build snowmen, as weary coastguard officials in blue overalls and hi-vis jackets search for a missing person.

On Friday, two people died after being pulled from the water at Withernsea – a town with a population of just 6,500.

A third person remains missing, although HM Coastguard confirmed the huge search for them was called off at 16:00 GMT on Saturday.

From our vantage point next to the castellated entrance to a former pier, which was destroyed by storms and ship collisions in the late 19th Century, the Reverend Clive Hall, from the town’s St Matthew’s Church, also spots the families on the promenade.

“Withernsea is a fun place,” he says.

“It’s a place people come to enjoy themselves, even in winter. It’s a lot smaller and quieter than Bridlington further up the coast.

“We are very close-knit here. But now we have tears and heartbreak. The mood is sombre.”

Mr Hall tells me how the town’s five churches have come together, with clergy converging on Withernsea Methodist Church, which has become the focus for prayers.

On Sunday, services will reflect the town’s loss.

“People are already talking about a special service. That will be something to consider at a later point,” Mr Hall says.

Angie Smith, 51, from Hull, is walking with her family. She too associates Withernsea with happy memories.

“It’s always been a happy little seaside town,” she says.

“What an awful start to the year this is.

“Like us, those people [those who died] will have gone to the seaside for a walk and then this happened.

Darrin Stevens’ photographs showing the initial search and rescue efforts have been widely published.

Now, he stands – without a camera – on the promenade, reflecting on events, as a woman lays a bouquet of flowers.

“The balcony of my home overlooks the sea,” he says, pointing to it.

“Within minutes, all I could see was a wall of flashing blue lights.”

Mr Stevens did not see anyone in the water, with the seawall saving him from witnessing the tragedy.

Like Mr Hall, he describes a town that supports each other.

“So many people came down on to the promenade on Friday evening,” he says.

“They weren’t there taking pictures for social media; they were there to show support.

“My neighbours brought coffees and teas for the rescuers. People just wanted to help in any way they could. It was remarkable for all the wrong reasons.”

Jason Catlin, 45, who lives opposite the town’s RNLI station, agrees with those sentiments.

“Even though something like this does not directly affect everyone, everyone feels it,” he says.

“It feels really sombre.”

Friends David Lewis, 69, and Neil Finn, 63, know this stretch of coastline well, and they tell of the dangers.

Gesturing to the road that runs parallel to the promenade, a good distance from the sea, Mr Lewis says: “I used to be a road sweep for the council and I’d often find pebbles and wood, thrown up by the sea, scattered all along here after a storm.”

Mr Finn adds: “I’ve seen the sea come up over the towers before.

“The sea can be very dangerous.”