A SPATE of dramatic rescues after people got into difficulties in Morecambe Bay lastweek has prompted renewed safety warnings from police and coastguards.

On Monday two teenage girls were saved from the water after being swept away by the tide while paddling at Heysham.

This came after Morecambe RNLI’s volunteer crew was called out to three rescues on Saturday afternoon.

Monday’s dramatic rescue saw the two girls, aged 16 and 14, from Bolton, get into difficulty in the water at North Quay – between Ocean Edge Caravan Park and Middleton Sands.

The younger girl and her mother managed to swim back to shore and were found clinging to rocks, but the 16-year-old had to be rescued by a passing boat which was coming into the port at Heysham.

She was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in a serious condition, suffering from severe hypothermia.

The 14-year-old was left shaken by the incident but suffered only superficial injuries.

Both girls remained overnight at RLI but made a good recovery.

Mark Finch, of Lancaster police, said: “This is a timely reminder to anyone enjoying the school holidays and the good weather to remember the dangers of the tide and of open water and to enjoy them safety and responsibly.”

Coastguard teams have also issued a warning about the potential dangers of the Morecambe Bay sands after being called out to three rescues in quick succession on Saturday.

Morecambe RNLI’s volunteers were called to help rescue five people cut off by the incoming tide near Grange-over-Sands.

But on the way to the emergency they were diverted by a request from the Arnside Coastguard team to help a couple with a child cut off by the tide near Jenny Brown’s Point, Silverdale, who were in more immediate danger.

The crew quickly found the three people, took them on board the hovercraft and carried them safely to the shore near Silverdale.

They were almost immediately called again to help another man who had been cut off by the tide on the foreshore near Silverdale.

In the meantime, the people reported by the original call-out at Grange-over-Sands were able to make their own way ashore.

RNLI lifeboat operations manager Kevin Jackson, of Morecambe, said: “The warm weather makes it inviting for people to walk out on to the sands but they really do need to be made aware of the speed of the incoming tide and its dangers if they are to stay safe.

“We would advise everyone to remain close to the shore and not be tempted to cross any of the many channels that exist in the Bay.”

Earlier in the week, teams from Lancashire Fire and Rescue, Cumbria Fire and Rescue and the Arnside Coastguard had been called out to help two people cut off by the tide at Silverdale.

In 2013 The Westmorland Gazette launched its Safety on the Sands campaign to heighten both local and national awareness of the potentially treacherous ‘shifting’ sands of the Morecambe Bay area.