Off-duty lifeguard saves two children stuck in dangerous rip current at Farr Bay near Thurso

An off-duty lifeguard has been hailed a hero after saving two children who got stuck in a dangerous rip current at a beach in the Highlands.

Callum McDonald from Dundee was surfing at Farr Bay near Thurso on July 5, when he spotted the young bodyboarders in trouble near rocks.

Mr McDonald said they were stuck in a fast moving rip current, which is a channel of water flowing out to sea and are common around fixed structures and in big swell.

“There was lots of splashing, and I realised it was them kicking their legs furiously in an attempt to get back to safety,” he said.

Callum McDonald, from Dundee, was off-duty when he went to the aid of two bodyboarders. RNLI

“I tried to get closer to them, but I was cautious of the nearby rocks and wanted to avoid us all getting hurt.”

After realising the bodyboarders couldn’t paddle out of the rip themselves due to being too tired, he swam into the rip and got them to hold onto the leash on his board so he could pull them out.

He said: “I was insistent on taking them one at a time to ensure their safety, but they were so scared and panicked that neither of them wanted to be left alone.

“I decided that them holding onto the leash was the next best resort and began to paddle back.”

Mr McDonald had to time the paddle in between the sets to ensure everyone’s safety, and eventually made it to the middle of the bay.

By the time they made it out of the rip, the two individuals had lost their bodyboards and weren’t doing well at keeping themselves afloat.

He said: “Unfortunately, my long board wasn’t big enough for the two of them, but I eventually kicked them back in and got them ashore.”

The children were reunited with their friends and family, and were checked over before Callum mentioned the risk of secondary drowning and the signs to look out for.

He added: “Secondary drowning is when water gets onto the lungs and can caused irritation and a fluid build up that can develop 24 to 48 hours later.”

The RNLI shared the story to help raise awareness of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25.

Tracy, one of the parents of the casualties, called Mr McDonald a hero for this courageous actions.

“If it wasn’t for Callum’s courageous actions, I don’t even want to think about what could have happened,” she said.

“He is a hero, and we can’t thank him enough for how he responded that day.

“Anyone can get caught up in these sorts of conditions, so I’m urging all parents to take care when visiting the coast this summer and be aware for the dangers, and how to keep yourself safe.”