Cunningham concern over tombstoning

Cllr Cunningham said: “While this activity may have occurred around the coast for generations, I am concerned that many of the young people taking part have little or no knowledge of the dangers involved.

“On a recent return visit from Rathlin I spoke to a number of the teenagers involved, none of whom were local to the area and was concerned at their relative swimming inexperience and their lack of knowledge of the area “Tombstoning is a high-risk, high-impact experience but it can have severe and life-threatening consequences. This is because water depths alter with the tide, the shock of cold water can make it difficult to swim, getting out of the water is often more difficult than people realise and strong currents can rapidly sweep people away.

“I urge parents to beware of the whereabouts of their children and to educate them about the dangers of pier jumping.”