Callum Baker-Osborne death: Teen described as 'heroic' at inquest

Callum Baker-Osborne, 18, was on a family holiday at Rockley Park when he died on July 26, 2021, after he, his mother, sister and several nieces and nephews were caught in strong currents.

The inquest was told how the builder from Coventry prevented at least three young family members from drowning, before succumbing to exhaustion.

The Osborne family attended the first day of the inquest at Bournemouth Town Hall on Thursday, January 5, where they described Callum as a “fit and healthy young man” who had been a keen swimmer from a young age.

“Callum had always been one for the water,” said his mother Ann Osborne, who told the inquest the holiday to Rockley was a last-minute decision after plans for a trip abroad fell through.

The family of Callum Baker-Osborne outside Bournemouth Town Hall on January 5 (Image: BNPS)

Around 30 members of the family arrived at the holiday park on the Monday afternoon and, due to weather forecasts predicting rain for the next day, they elected to go to the beach quickly after arriving.

Callum’s mother Ann and sister Samantha recounted paddling in knee high water before a “big gush of water” pulled them and several others out of their depth.

Samantha told the inquest: “It was the biggest, most powerful blast. All of a sudden we just all got wiped out.

“I struggled to get above the water. My daughter Aurora was submerged. She was drowning and alone, I screamed for someone to help her.”

It was then heard how Callum helped keep his nephews Byron, eight, and Cameron, 15, afloat before being directed by his sister’s screams to Aurora, aged seven.

“I screamed for Callum to help because, if anyone, he was the strongest swimmer,” Samantha recalled. She added that her brother was “fighting” against the current to reach his niece.

Callum Baker-Osborne and his sister, Samantha

He was ultimately able to do so and held her above his head while telling her to breathe.

The current brought Samantha and Callum together, at which point he held on to his sister’s shoulder to stay afloat. After Samantha shouted she was drowning, Callum let go and disappeared under the water. “This time, Callum didn’t come back up with us,” she said.

Ann Osborne, who lost consciousness after being rescued, expressed her shock at how quickly the party became separated by the current. She said: “It was horrible, I couldn’t catch my breath. It was like we were being pushed from all angles.

“I didn’t understand what had happened, we were standing and then there was nothing.”

Following an extensive search, Callum’s body was found four days later approximately one mile away at Lake Pier in Hamworthy.

Search effort for Callum Baker-Osborne

A post mortem examination confirmed he died from drowning.

Callum’s older brother, Daniel Osborne, emotionally asked pathologist Dr Robert Blahut whether his sibling would have felt any pain before his death. The pathologist responded by telling the family he thought Callum would have “lost consciousness pretty quickly” and would not have felt pain.

The family were rescued out of the water by beachgoer Sam Carroll, Rockley instructor Josh Ayles, and park manager Liz McMaster, who were all commended for their bravery by coroner Richard Middleton.

Ms McMaster told the inquest that the family had likely been caught in a “double high tide”, which is unique to Poole. She stated while it is “extremely rare” for people to get caught up in that area, any strong swimmer would have struggled in the circumstances the family was in.

The inquest will conclude on Friday, January 6.