Tombstoners are ‘gambling with their lives’ says horrified onlooker as kids dive off Plymouth Hoe – Devon Live

A woman who witnessed teenagers tombstoning on Plymouth Hoe has said that they are 'gambling with their lives'. The tourist, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was left horrified after watching the young men leaping off a high sea wall, narrowly avoiding several rock formations on landing in the water below.

"I am not good at judging heights in metres, but it was high," she told The Plymouth Herald.

"To successfully complete the jump, they had to jump out several metres, and then make sure they had judged it just right to miss several rock formations jutting out at the bottom. Unbelievable.

"I was absolutely horrified along with everyone else who witnessed this. They are gambling with their lives, literally."

The woman also reported many of the young men apparently being pressured into jumping by their friends.

"There seemed to be a lot of goading for some of them to do it," she said.

"You could clearly see them look down, hesitate, look again, hesitate, etc. and eventually go for it after much goading. To me they are the most vulnerable because one ounce of hesitancy could be their demise in judging it wrong.

"They risk at the very least passing out on hitting the water (the thud heard on hitting the sea was very loud), disabling themselves for life and at worst death.

It comes just days after Cllr Stuart Hughes, who represents Sidmouth on the town, district and county council, took a picture of youngsters tombstoning from a pole into the sea off Sidmouth seafront on Monday evening.

The photographs shows one young boy jumping from the top of the pole with a dozen or so youngsters around the bottom of the pole - just yards from sheet piling concrete.

Cllr Hughes said: "These youngsters appear to be blind when it comes to dangers that this type of activity poses. They are unaware of all the nasties that lay on the bottom of the sea bed around this post which is there to warn sailing boats of the outfall wall.

"They have no sense of danger below the waterline and taking tombstoning to next level at Sidmouth.

This latest report of the dangerous practice follows in the wake of tombstoners spotted plunging from one of Plymouth's most cherished landmarks - The Barbican - as safety rings in their usual spot on the Hoe were left abandoned and floating in the water.

A shocked onlooker photographed the lads leaping from the historic Mayflower Steps as the weekend sun came out.

In November 2016 Vincent Wagstaff, a father of three, tragically died from multiple injuries after jumping from the popular Hoe tombstoning hotspot.

The court heard that Mr Wagstaff had asked his cousin to film him carrying out the adrenaline-filled sport so it could be uploaded to social media.

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency warn that the seemingly fun act of plunging from piers, cliffs and rocks can be 'very dangerous' and say that "shallow puddles" could see thrill-seekers come into difficulty.

The popular trend, known as tombstoning, has been around for decades and now with the increasing desire for people to share their stunts on Facebook, making the craze even more popular.

Meanwhile, a safety ring on the Hoe was left floating in the water seemingly abandoned.

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency said earlier this week: "We always urge people to have fun but stay safe when out enjoying our beautiful beaches and coastlines.

"Jumping from piers, cliffs, rocks or other structures into the sea can be very dangerous."

The agency added: "The depth of the water can dramatically change with the tide, and what was a deep pool at lunchtime might be a shallow puddle by teatime. You don't know what hazards may be lurking under the surface until you are hurt or worse.

Lewis Trotman was said to be lucky to be alive after diving head first onto rocks

"The shock of cold water may make it difficult to swim to safety and strong currents can quickly sweep people away.

In 2010 coastguards came to aid of Lewis Trotman after he suffered head injuries on the Hoe.

The 14-year-old was described as lucky to be alive after diving head-first on to rocks.

In May 2008, 25-year-old city man Steven Andrews, from Manadon, was paralysed when he fell 20ft from a cliff into three feet of water at Whitsand Bay.

His first words after the accident were: "I'm paralysed mum, I want to die."

First reported by Plymouth Herald

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Tombstoners are 'gambling with their lives' says horrified onlooker as kids dive off Plymouth Hoe - Devon Live