I WRITE in support of some of the things Councillor Ap Rees has said about Weston Bay.

I WRITE in support of some of the things Councillor Ap Rees has said about Weston Bay. I too believe Weston Bay is safe. I can recall before the war, on hot summer afternoons, when the beach was crowded with holidaymakers, large numbers going out to meet the tide. I and my friends would often do the same, sometimes almost to the cable beacon, or the danger post as we boys called it. However, I can not remember anyone being rescued. But at that time I believe, the coast guard was one man on a bicycle.

The only equipment the RNLI had at that time was a Liverpool class boat Fifi & Charles, quite slow, six or seven knots, and a draft probably between two or three feet not really suitable for work in very shallow water. We now have the RNLI with the right equipment, the coast guard greatly expanded, a helicopter on call, a fire service with a hovercraft, a population armed with mobile phones and triple nine to rescue people stuck in the mud. It would seem the number of rescues now could be linked to the equipment available.

I quite understand that when any of these services receives a call they have no choice but to respond. But I still say our bay is safe. And to make my point I would feel safer walking out to meet a tide, than walking the streets in central Weston late on a Saturday night when the pubs and clubs are closing.

MERVYN PENBERTHY

Ellesmere Road, Uphill