Teenage girl in critical condition after being swept into violent seas during game of 'wave dodging'

A teenage girl was in a critical condition in hospital tonight after being swept into violent seas during an apparent game of wave dodging.

Katie MacLean, 14, was knocked unconscious when she was dragged into the water from the sea wall at Eyemouth harbour in Berwickhire as she tried to reach her friend.

The 13-year-old had been washed in first but was plucked to safety by two members of the public while police and coastguard rescued the older girl using ropes. She was given CPR and later airlifted to hospital.

She was treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she was in a critical but stable condition. Lothian and Borders Police said that some of the waves were more than 20ft high at the time of the rescue drama.

Eyemouth RNLI station officer Norman Richardson, who administered CPR to the teenager, said: “When we arrived we found that one girl had managed to get out of the water and into safety, but the other was face down in the water.

She had been bashed against the wall and was unconscious and could’ve been face down for up to 20 minutes.”

The area is a notorious spot for wave dodging. Local man Johnnie Walker said he saw a number of children and young adults playing along the sea wall, running in and out of the sea spray as it came over the defence.

“I’ve lived in Eyemouth for more than 18 years and not seen waves like this often,” he said. The coastguard warned members of the public not to jump into the sea to rescue stricken and youngsters not to risk their lives in rough seas.