'Dithering' beach lifeguards criticised after man, 74, died trying to save Shropshire girls

Richard Guest, 74, had been walking along the beach at Tywyn with his wife Margaret when he heard the 13-year-olds screaming and went to their aid.

But Mr Guest suffered a fatal heart attack brought on by a pre-existing condition that was not known to his family.

At Mr Guest's inquest in Aberystwyth, Coroner Peter Brunton criticised the beach patrols for "dithering on the coastline, unsure of whether or not to go in".

Recording a verdict of death by misadventure, he said: "They played no part, they remained totally passive as far as this tragic event was concerned. This in itself is a great cause for concern. What is the point of having marshalls if they don't enter the sea?"

He told Mr Guest's family: "You have my profound sympathies, I realise your whole family has been shaken by the horrible events of that day. He entered the water, in an act of great selflessness, in order to save the lives of two young girls, a decision which had catastrophic results."

The inquest heard how the two 13-year-olds, who were from Shropshire, had been knocked off their feet by increasingly large waves and were crying for help.

Mr Guest, along with another holidaymaker, Stephen Adams, swam to their aid.

Mr Adams said the conditions had been the roughest he had ever been in and "like a washing machine".

"We converged in about the same area and I was way out of my depth," he said.

"I was struggling to get back to the shore and asked the girl if she could manage for a moment while I took some reprieve. I got her again and came close into the beach where Mr Guest appeared to be treading water. When I went back I could see that Mr Guest was face down."

Mr Adams described how some surfers had helped while he had lost sight of Mr Guest.

"Mr Guest went out further but the waves were breaking over his head. I can't reiterate how rough it was out there. The waves were crashing over us," he said.

Mr Guest was airlifted to Bronglais General Hospital in Aberystwyth where he was pronounced dead.

Mr Brunton said: "On post-mortem examination, the deceased had clear fluid water in his upper airways consistent with immersion in water. It is impossible to ascertain whether or not this occurred prior to or post death.

"He also had significant left ventricular hypertrophy. While it is possible a cardiac event was triggered by exertion in the water, on the balance of probabilities the cause of death is immersion in water, that is to say drowning."

Mr Guest, who was holidaying with his wife, Margaret, had two children and was a grandfather to four.

His family previously said he had always been an active man and was missed terribly.

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Guest's daughter, Ceri Donavan, said: "There were beach patrol marshals there but no-one did anything.

"I think it raises serious questions about safety at that particular beach. It's something that should be campaigned about."