PFD report

Gillian Louisa DAVEY and Michael PENDER · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 28 May 2020•Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
3

Named on the report

Responses found
3

Of 3 recipients

Stated actions
0

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

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Concerns raised2

  1. Unavailability of public information on planned beach patrol locations and timing
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable public information about beach lifeguard coverage
  2. Lack of professional lifeguard cover on Cornwall’s beaches
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable lifeguard provision for aquatic safety
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

No linked response statements

No respondent-stated action or position is clearly linked to these concerns.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Unavailability of public information on planned beach patrol locations and timing

Wider context from the report

“These incidents both occurred on Bank Holiday Monday. Ordinarily, I understand the RNLI is responsible for the provision of lifeguard cover (during peak season) at something in the order of 240 beaches. On the day of these incidents, there was no lifeguard cover on any Cornish beach. How this state of affairs arose will be a matter for the future. My immediate concern is that the beaches in Cornwall remain unguarded. There have been numerous reports on social media and in the general press of volunteers from surf lifesaving clubs and elsewhere performing rescues or intervening to prevent an incident from developing. I have seen mention that the RNLI hopes to provide some lifeguard cover at 70 beaches but I have not seen a plan confirming which beaches will be patrolled and by when. This information needs to be put in the public domain at the first opportunity. Unless and until there is a professional lifeguard service back on the beaches in Cornwall, I fear it will be inevitable that there will be further loss of life. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable public information about beach lifeguard coverage.

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Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of professional lifeguard cover on Cornwall’s beaches

Wider context from the report

“These incidents both occurred on Bank Holiday Monday. Ordinarily, I understand the RNLI is responsible for the provision of lifeguard cover (during peak season) at something in the order of 240 beaches. On the day of these incidents, there was no lifeguard cover on any Cornish beach. How this state of affairs arose will be a matter for the future. My immediate concern is that the beaches in Cornwall remain unguarded. There have been numerous reports on social media and in the general press of volunteers from surf lifesaving clubs and elsewhere performing rescues or intervening to prevent an incident from developing. I have seen mention that the RNLI hopes to provide some lifeguard cover at 70 beaches but I have not seen a plan confirming which beaches will be patrolled and by when. This information needs to be put in the public domain at the first opportunity. Unless and until there is a professional lifeguard service back on the beaches in Cornwall, I fear it will be inevitable that there will be further loss of life. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable lifeguard provision for aquatic safety.

Open source report
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026