Father rescued with his children at Whiterocks shares gratitude as RNLI marks 25 years of beach lifeguards

Andrew Todd with the RNLI lifeguard team at Whiterocks Beach

A father who was rescued alongside his two children after being caught in a powerful rip current at Whiterocks Beach, Portrush, has returned to thank the RNLI as the charity marks 25 years of its lifeguard service.

The visit coincides with International Lifeguard Appreciation Day on Friday, 31 July, with the RNLI paying tribute to the lifeguards who patrol beaches across the UK and Ireland and highlighting the role they play in preventing tragedies before they happen.

For Northern Ireland, the milestone also reflects the growth of a service that has responded to more than 2,300 incidents and carried out 500 rescue efforts since lifeguards were first introduced to the North Coast in 2011.

A rescue that could have ended differently

Andrew Todd who was rescued from a rip current at Whiterocks Beach in Portrush

Andrew Todd, from Helen’s Bay, was visiting Whiterocks Beach in 2022 with his children, Issy and Zack, when changing sea conditions turned a routine swim into a dangerous situation.

An experienced sea kayaker with a lifelong respect for the sea, Andrew said he had carefully explained beach safety to his children before they entered the water.

“The water was rough with more than 2m-high surf and powerful waves. I have a lifelong respect of the water and I’m very aware of the dangers, so when my children came along, I was determined to instil in them the same respect, and an understanding of the power and wonder of the ocean.”

The family deliberately stayed between the RNLI’s red and yellow flags after identifying a rip current nearby.

However, as conditions changed, they unknowingly drifted beyond the designated swimming area.

“It was only in the last few minutes that I realised we had suddenly got deeper than I was comfortable with,” Andrew recalled.

While his daughter Issy initially made progress back towards shore, his younger son Zack struggled against the current.

Andrew stayed with him to keep him calm, while Issy was pulled back out to sea after stopping to check on them.

Lifeguards respond within moments

Lifeguard Freya Macfarlane

Earlier that day, Senior Lifeguard Adam King and Lifeguard Luke McAvoy had already rescued two other people from a rip current nearby before repositioning the swimming zone to reflect the changing conditions.

When another fast-forming rip current developed, lifeguard Ellen Knox spotted Andrew and his children drifting offshore.

She immediately entered the water with a rescue board while Adam King and Luke McAvoy launched the rescue watercraft.

Andrew focused on keeping his children calm until help arrived.

“I told him to stop swimming and just held him close, to avoid getting separated and to conserve energy. We were calling to Issy to reassure her all was well, and she stayed calm too.”

Within moments, Andrew and Zack were safely back on shore, with Issy also rescued.

Lifeguards Bartosz Wesolowski and Emma-Jane Service with Andrew Todd

Reflecting on the incident, Andrew said the experience had strengthened rather than weakened his family’s confidence in the sea.

“We were all back in the water the next day to make sure there would be no long-lasting anxiousness or worries. We are all immensely grateful for the speed and confidence the RNLI lifeguards showed that day.”

A service built on prevention

Although RNLI lifeguards are often recognised for dramatic rescues, the charity says around 95% of a lifeguard’s work is preventative, with much of their role focused on advising beach users, identifying hazards and helping people avoid getting into difficulty.

RNLI Lifeguard Lead Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson, RNLI Lifeguard Lead for Northern Ireland and a former lifeguard, said International Lifeguard Appreciation Day was an opportunity to recognise those who protect beachgoers every summer.

“On International Lifeguard Appreciation Day, we want to thank every RNLI lifeguard, past and present, for the extraordinary contribution they make to public safety, and we want to recognise their dedication, professionalism and lifesaving impact.”

He added that modern lifeguarding has become increasingly proactive.

“We still need to have well trained, capable, skilled lifeguards on our beaches. But there has been a shift in how we keep people safe. Lifeguarding now is such a proactive service. Being proactive is the standard and the new normal.”

Lifeguards across Northern Ireland

RNLI lifeguards now patrol 12 beaches across Northern Ireland, having expanded from the original North Coast service introduced in 2011.

Patrolled beaches include Benone, Downhill, Castlerock, Portstewart Strand, Portrush West, Portrush East, Whiterocks, Ballycastle, Cranfield, Tyrella and Murlough.

This summer, around 90 RNLI lifeguards are providing daily beach patrols.

In 2025 alone, RNLI lifeguards in Northern Ireland carried out 65,714 preventative actions, came to the aid of 402 people, and were involved in seven life-saving rescues.

Anyone planning a trip to the coast can find their nearest RNLI lifeguarded beach and check patrol information by visiting https://rnli.org/lifeguardedbeach.

The charity continues to encourage beachgoers to choose lifeguarded beaches whenever possible, swim between the red and yellow flags, and follow the advice of lifeguards, whose work is designed not only to respond to emergencies but to prevent them from happening in the first place.