Body found in search for teenager swept out to sea; 18-YEAR-OLD THROWN FROM BLACKPOOL PROM BY HUGE WAVE.Byline: STEVE BAGNALL A BODY found washed up near Blackpool promenade is believed to be that of a teenage boy swept into the sea by a giant wave. The nightmare scenario that 18-year-old Jack Saunders John Victor Saunders (born March 21, 1876, Melbourne, Victoria, died December 21, 1927, Toorak, Victoria) was an Australian cricketer who played in 14 Tests from 1902 to 1908. , from Wrexham, had drowned appeared to have come true for his devastated family last night. Lancashire Police said yesterday evening a body found washed up at Starr Gate Starr Gate is at the south-western end of Blackpool on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England. The southern terminal loop of the Blackpool Tramway is located at Starr Gate. , Blackpool, is probably him. The family are today expected to carry out the heartbreaking task of formally identifying Jack after driving up from their home on Old Farm Road, Rhostyllen. Yesterday a Lancashire Police spokeswoman said: "The body is believed to be that of Jack Saunders. But the official identification will be made tomorrow." Jack was knocked off his feet by the wave as force seven westerly gales lashed the Blackpool coast on Saturday night. He had been standing on the ramp leading from Lower Walk to the sea at around midnight. Two friends, also from Wrexham, who went to try and save him were also swept into the sea, but they managed to scramble back to shore. They were treated at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and were said to have been "extremely shaken". Esclusham councillor Mark Pritchard Mark Andrew Pritchard (born 22 November 1966) is the Conservative MP for The Wrekin. He was elected at the 2005 general election, beating Peter Bradley of the Labour Party. Early life He grew up in Herefordshire. , who knew Jack, said the community was devastated by the news. "At this time the thoughts and sympathies of the community are with the family," he said. "Jack was a very smart looking, popular boy, who was very intelligent and had his whole life in front of him. "As an example of the sort of person he was, 12 months ago he knocked at my door and handed a credit card to me he had found on the floor. He would never pass you by and always say good morning or good afternoon." The body was found washed up by a member of the public at Starr Gate, near Blackpool Leisure Beach, shortly before 7.30am yesterday. It was close to where the 18-year-old vanished. The discovery came as police and the coastguard halted a massive search for Jack, who was on a weekend break in Blackpool with 13 friends. Hopes had faded on Sunday he would be found alive after hours Adv. 1. after hours - not during regular hours; "he often worked after hours" in the sea. Peter Holland, Lytham St Annes RNLI RNLI (in Britain) Royal National Lifeboat Institution RNLI n abbr (BRIT) (= Royal National Lifeboat Institution) → organización benéfica que proporciona un servicio de lanchas de socorro lifeboat sea safety officer, said: "It just shows we have got to get the message out there to people even more forcefully about sea safety. "The sea can be great fun but you absolutely have to respect it, the power it can have and how dangerous it can be." stevebagnall@dailypost.co.uk CAPTION(S): Jack Saunders was swept away off Blackpool prom (inset) on Saturday night |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion