Four German holidaymakers rescued after being cut off by incoming tide at Lyme Regis

Four holidaymakers from Germany were rescued by coastguard and Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crews after being cut off by a rapidly incoming tide while walking east from Lyme Regis toward Charmouth on Sunday night.

The group — three people in their 20s and a woman in her 60s — were about a mile (roughly 1 km) into their walk when the tide advanced and submerged the sea wall steps behind them, leaving them with no clear route back. A member of the public who spotted them raised the alarm and called 999.

Lyme Regis RNLI launched its lifeboat and the crew quickly obtained a visual on the four walkers, the coastguard said. With waves crashing and the base of the sea wall and steps already covered by about 4 feet (1.2 metres) of water, the decision was made to move the group along the shoreline rather than leave them to wait for the tide to turn.

An RNLI crew member managed to reach the shore and three Lyme Regis coastguard rescue officers proceeded along the coastline delivering lifejackets. A fourth coastguard officer, wearing a dry suit and water rescue kit, awaited at the sea wall end of the beach. Under coastguard and RNLI supervision, each person was escorted one at a time through waist-high water, using a rope for guidance, and helped up the East Beach steps to safety. The rescue operation took place at about 11:30 p.m., Lyme Regis station manager Scott Barton said.

"The walkers were holidaymakers from Germany and the alarm was raised by a member of the public," Barton said. He added that, because of the weather conditions, crews judged it safer to walk the group back along the beach than to attempt a boat transfer.

A Lyme Regis Coastguard spokesperson said the incident demonstrated "how quickly the tide can turn" and urged anyone planning coastal walks to check tide times and weather conditions beforehand. The service also encouraged members of the public to raise the alarm immediately if they spot people in difficulty.

Coastal authorities routinely warn that tidal patterns can cut people off quickly on headlands and beaches, and incidents often occur after walkers underestimate how soon an incoming tide will block return routes. Scientists and agencies monitoring coastal risk note that long-term sea-level rise and more frequent storm-driven surges can increase the frequency and severity of coastal flooding and make tidal hazards more hazardous for walkers and shoreline users.

Local rescue teams said there were no immediate reports of serious injury among the rescued group. The incident highlights ongoing public-safety messaging from coastguard services to plan walks with tide tables in mind, use recognised footpaths where available, and to carry means of summoning help if conditions change.

The Lyme Regis coastguard and RNLI continue to provide safety advice to visitors and residents along the Dorset coast, where complex tides and coastal geography make some stretches of beach and cliffside route prone to rapid cut-off during high tides and rough weather.