If The Cobbold Family History Trust could award medals for bravery Stephen #1681 on the family tree would be a very worthy recipient. The citation would go something like this:
Whilst relaxing on the Gower beach at Three Cliffs Bay with his three-year-old son last August Stephen noticed a group of teenagers, three boys and a girl getting swept out to sea. Leaving his son with a nearby family he swam towards the group with his body board. “They were about 40 metres out and I knew they were in trouble” he said. “The first guy seemed to be fine so I went on to the second person who was struggling. He held onto my body board whilst we carried on swimming to the next guy and he grabbed my board too. The fourth person was the girl and I saw her head facing up to the sky just above the water. She was in a very perilous situation”. Aided by another man who had come out to help, Stephen got the three teenagers back to the shore. Although the Rescue Services had been called it was Stephen’s prompt action which saved them
Afterwards, feeling sick and shaky, with the three struggling swimmers in shock, Stephen explained that as a 14-year old he had witnessed a tragedy at Three Cliffs, the memory of which inspired him to take action. “I told myself this is not going to happen again” he said.
