AFTER reading about the foolhardy people going out to sea in these plastic toys that resemble boats, it appears that no amount of distress stories through the media has any effect on those thinking ‘it won’t happen to me’.

Over the years the same story is being told over and over again of idiots ignoring good advice then depending on the wonderful services of the Coastguard and the RNLI to get them out of trouble.

Back in the 1950s, I worked for Harvey’s ferry boats and along with Davis’s saved the lives of many a foolhardy swimmer, almost daily, sometimes more!

In those days we didn’t have the lifeguards or lifeboats we have today.

People swimming out after a plastic beach ball or lilo that blew off the shore then finding it difficult to swim back against the wind or current was a regular occurrence.

That stretch of water near the ferry was treacherous even on the best of days.

If the truth were to be told, between the two ferry boat companies, more lives were saved than that recorded by the RNLI.

We didn’t have radios or mobile phones to call them out anyway, it was done by people shouting from the shore.

There are lots of stories that could be told of the rescues made, but the point I am making is that even today some people treat the sea without any fear or respect and sadly it’s going to go on.

I am afraid lives are always going to be put in danger and lost through ignorance.

JOHN R COLE, St Margarets Road, Poole