Devon beach horror as 1,000 injured in 'Jaws-like' incident as sea turns red from blood

Twenty-seven years ago, a day at the beach turned into a nightmare. It's known as 'The Day the Sea Turned Red in Devon'. And it's not an exaggeration.

It started as a complete mystery. One moment everything was perfectly normal on a sunny Sunday in August 1998.

Within a few hours, between 800 and 1,000 people were injured and eyewitnesses compared the scenes on Paignton Beach to 'a scene from Jaws'.

People were covered in blood and panic spread rapidly. Emergency services were called and police patrolled the seafront from Preston to Goodrington, telling people to get out of the water.

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Thirty individuals were so badly injured that they needed to be taken to Torbay Hospital, reports Devon Live..

The beach was filled with the sounds of laughter, waves and seagulls – but within minutes, holidaymakers and locals began running from the beach in terror, with blood streaming from their feet. The Paignton Regatta was in full swing and the seafront was bustling - and then the day transformed into something out of a horror film.

At around 1pm, the tranquillity of a sunny day was broken as first aiders on Paignton Green dealt with a flood of beachgoers reporting cuts from something sharp in the sea. As more and more people ventured into the warm shallows during an unusually low tide, the number of injuries skyrocketed.

Chaos erupted on the shores as police, beach attendants, and emergency responders swiftly secured a seaside town, prompting an urgent evacuation of swimmers. Eager holidaymakers watched as ambulances and the Devon Air Ambulance descended upon the scene, adding to the dramatic rescue operation unfolding before their eyes.

Described by locals as a 'total emergency', swift action was taken by Torbay Council to manage the multi-agency response involving coastguards and paramedics who rushed to aid the wounded. Initially baffling officials, the mystery behind the mass injuries at the beach was eventually linked to hidden razor fish shells, brought to the surface by an unusually low tide that caught sun-seekers off guard.

Commenting on the incident, former MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders witnessed the commotion firsthand, remarking to bystanders, "It was like a scene from Jaws as the police cleared the sea of people."

Nationally, the spectacle triggered significant attention, with memories of the day etched in those present. Brian Pearce, the beach manager at the time, relayed to the Independent his shock as he witnessed hundreds with lacerated feet emerging from the sea.

While most had minor injuries, some required hospital treatment; it was a day Pearce hoped would remain unparalleled, saying, "The majority had small cuts, but a few had bad ones which were treated in hospital. I have never seen anything like it. I hope I do not see it again."

Chaos reigned at Paignton Green as ambulances weaved through throngs of people, with Torbay Hospital's casualty unit on urgent alert. Along Preston Beach and neighbouring sites of Broadsands and Hollicombe, distress calls reported numerous injuries.

The din of sirens drowned out the lively seafront karaoke, thrusting emergency services into frenetic action. Fresh ambulances turned up, bearing extra medical supplies like dressings and saline solutions for treating wounds, while the Devon Air Ambulance cut through the skies to make an urgent delivery, interrupting a casual game of rounders.

Ambulance group station officer Chris Coles, one of the first responders, instantly grasped the severity, proclaiming, "We knew straight away we were dealing with multiple casualties."

Support was hastily summoned from the Red Cross, involved in a demonstration at Brixham, and from the St John Ambulance medics.

Dramatically, a normally tranquil spot for family picnics on Paignton Green was swiftly transformed into an impromptu field hospital by the police. As caregivers diligently worked, one paramedic, finishing with a patient, raised their head to call forward another with a terse, "Next!".

Police chief Inspector Peter Dale swiftly responded to the escalating situation by directing his officers to patrol the beach and warn unsuspecting sunbathers to steer clear of the treacherous razor fish beds.

Young Lana McAreavey, only 11 years old from Princes Street in Paignton, experienced a painful mishap after treading on one of the sharp shells, necessitating medical attention. Reflecting on the ordeal, she said, "It does hurt a bit, and I can't put my shoe on."

A startled holidaymaker described their shock at being wounded unexpectedly: "I was just walking through the shallow water when I felt something with my foot. It was so sharp that I didn't realise I was cut until I looked down and saw the blood."

Ten-year-old Sarah Richards from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, found herself in distress requiring three stitches due to her injury. The youngster recounted, "I was walking with my mum and I trod on something. Then I started screaming."

Another young beach-goer, Charlotte Mills aged 10, recounted her harrowing experience, which resulted in two stitches for a lacerated foot. With her father Tim Brown by her side, Charlotte explained, "I was in the water and something cut my foot. I thought it was a crab at first. Then I saw a massive cut on my foot and my friend gave me a piggyback up the beach."

The staff at Torbay Hospital faced an unusually hectic day as they dealt with the aftermath, treating casualties non-stop for over two hours. An astounding thirty patients, mainly children, required medical care, prompting a section of A&E to be dedicated solely to coping with this sudden spike in injuries.

A hospital spokesperson, reflecting on the event, said: "I have never seen anything like it before and people who have lived here for years have never heard of this kind of thing happening. ''.

Torbay Council swiftly erected warning signs on the beaches, handed out hundreds of leaflets and issued loudhailer warnings. Meanwhile, local traders quickly ran out of stock for flip-flops and plastic 'jelly' shoes.