Newcastle ‘unlikely’ to get harbour lifeguard

Newcastle ‘unlikely’ to get harbour lifeguard

28 February 2024

THE deployment of a lifeguard at Newcastle harbour is unlikely to happen for the foreseeable future, local politicians have been told.

The news was confirmed at last week’s meeting of a Newry, Mourne and Down Council Committee, four months after businessman Paul Bradley lost his life after getting into difficulty while swimming in the resort.

Members of the local authority’s Active and Healthy Communities Committee – which has agreed to provide a lifeguard at the harbour which is hugely popular with sea swimmers – were told that the appointment may now need to be included in the Newcastle Harbour Regeneration Programme.

Last October, emergency services were alerted following a report that Mr Bradley was in difficulties off the town’s South Promenade around 10am. 

Newcastle RNLI were the first responders to the incident, which happened close to the lifeboat station. 

The station launched its inshore lifeboat and Mr Bradley quickly taken ashore, with care administered by the crew until the arrival of the Ambulance Service.

The Air Ambulance was also tasked, while members of the lifeboat unit attempted to resuscitate Mr Bradley as they waited for paramedics to arrive. He was pronounced dead by an ambulance crew.

During last week’s council committee debate, Mournes councillor Laura Devlin issued a reminder that the issue of having a lifeguard was discussed last August, two months before Mr Bradley lost his life.

She said the issue was subsequently to be discussed by the local authority’s Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee.

“I want to know has there been much development in this regard and will that now need to go through the Sustainability and Environment Committee?” she asked. “In terms of guidance it would be good to know.”

Cllr Devlin said she was conscious that the better evenings are approaching and “obviously some of the harbour is still really, really popular and I am sure come the summer even more so”.

She added: “It will be good if we can get some movement on that.”

Council director Andy Patterson said: “We do know there is a transition happening over who has responsibility for Newcastle harbour.

“We are also aware of the Newcastle Harbour Regeneration Programme and we could tie all this in potentially to that programme. We plan to bring a report back to discuss this further.”