Dad who died helping two children in sea named

A father named Wayne Taylor has died after a tragic incident at sea off the coast of Teesside, where he was helping two children who were in difficulty while swimming.

The RNLI rescued both Taylor and another man from the water at Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool on Sunday afternoon. Despite their rescue, both men were pronounced dead a short time later. The two children they were assisting were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure and have been confirmed to be safe.

Cleveland Police have stated that formal identification is ongoing and that they are conducting enquiries on behalf of the coroner. The deaths have been described as a "heartbreaking tragedy" for the town by local MP Jonathan Brash.

In response to the incident, the leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, Graham Harrison, has requested a full review of water safety measures at Seaton Carew and along the coastline. The beach is currently only patrolled by lifeguards during the summer school holidays, which have not yet begun. An independent councillor, Sue Little, has called for lifeguards to be present from May to September, and a petition advocating for extended lifeguard coverage has already gathered over 1,600 signatures.

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heartbreaking tragedy