A campaign urging Hartlepool Borough Council to extend lifeguard cover along the town's coastline has passed 3,000 signatures, following the deaths of two men at Seaton Carew earlier this month. The petition, started by a local resident identified as Becca, seeks a wider review of water safety arrangements and calls for lifeguards to be on duty outside the traditional school-holiday period.
Campaign rooted in personal tragedy
Becca, a mother of three from Hartlepool, told InfoRadar the campaign was sparked by recent events but is rooted in a long-running personal campaign on the issue. Her best friend, Jordan Moon, drowned at Seaton Carew in 2003. The memory of that loss informed her decision to launch the petition after the recent incidents.
“It’s brought everything back to the point where I’m traumatised again… I kept getting told there’s not enough water based incidents, not enough funding, not enough deaths, things like that,”
She told the Mail she had previously lobbied for lifeguard provision but felt her calls were dismissed until now. The petition asks the council to consider extending lifeguard services from April through to the autumn and to broaden coverage beyond Seaton Carew to include areas such as the Headland and Fish Sands. It also requests the establishment of no-swim zones in specific locations, including Steetley.
Council response and public-safety measures
Hartlepool Borough Council has said it will conduct a full review of current water safety arrangements at Seaton Carew and across the borough’s coastline. Council leader Graham Harrison confirmed the review in response to the recent fatalities and the mounting public concern.
Campaigners have highlighted gaps they see in current provision, including the seasonal nature of lifeguard deployment and limited reach of existing educational programmes. Hartlepool runs a week-long Swim Safe open-water and beach safety course aimed at children, but campaigners note not all local schools take part and many families and adults are not reached by that initiative.
- Petition signatures: 3,000+
- Proposed changes: extend lifeguard cover from April, increase sites covered, introduce no-swim zones
- Council action: full review of water safety arrangements
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin of petition | Started by local resident (Becca) following recent drownings |
| Historic reference | Friend Jordan Moon died at Seaton Carew in 2003 |
| Council response | Full review of Seaton Carew and borough coastline safety |
Campaigners argue that lifeguards could play a direct role in preventing incidents by restricting access to dangerous areas and providing immediate rescue response. They also call for better public information on beach safety and greater availability of training for all ages — not solely for schoolchildren.
The petition highlights seasonal pressure points, noting that heatwaves and increased beach use can occur outside the traditional summer term. Campaigners want the council to consider flexible, risk-based deployment of lifeguards so cover can be extended when conditions or visitor numbers warrant.
The council review will be watched closely by residents and campaign groups. Any recommendations could have budgetary and operational implications for the authority, and would likely require discussions around funding, staffing and coordination with regional rescue services.
For now, the petition continues to gather support as the community seeks reassurance that lessons from recent tragedies will lead to concrete changes in how Hartlepool’s coastline is policed and protected.
