Emergency Services At Essex Seafront As People Left 'Struggling To Breathe'
25 August 2019, 18:42 | Updated: 26 August 2019, 07:36
Emergency services have been called to the seafront in Essex after receiving several reports of people coughing and struggling to breathe.
Police, the ambulance service and the fire service are at the seafront off Fourth Avenue in Frinton, after receiving calls shortly after 2pm.
Hundreds of families were enjoying the sun in the seaside town when a large number of people began to have trouble breathing, with reports of children coughing.
Essex Police advised people not to enter the water, but the cause remained unknown.
Speculation online of a fuel spill was refuted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency which said no evidence of this was found after they sent a counter surveillance pollution aircraft to the scene.
We are aware of reports of some issues at beaches in Frinton & Clacton. We are working with the emergency services in their response. We will provide further information & advice when we can.
— Tendring Council (@Tendring_DC) August 25, 2019
Trendring Council tweeted that they were aware of reports of issues at beaches in Frinton and Clacton, and were working with emergency services in their response.
A spokesperson for East of England Ambulance Service said: "We are aware of an incident on Sunday 25th August with reports of a number of people suffering from coughing on the sea front off Fourth Avenue, Frinton.
"We are assistant the police and fire services with this incident. The cause is currently unknown."
Earlier this month a hazardous material left several people on Worthing seafront complaining of sore eyes and vomiting, and two requiring hospital treatment.
