LOOE Harbour says it will take tough action against those who ‘tombstone’.

People who jump from the harbour wall or pier, or swim in the river are putting themselves in danger in the busy waterway, says Harbour Master Tina Hicks.

“Last year we changed the rules and we were shutting off the Banjo Pier and removing everybody, including innocent bystanders,” she said.

“This year we will shut the pier as and when we feel we need to. It’s a shame as one of the joys of Looe for people is walking on the pier when the tide is in.”

Dealing with the issue of people jumping off quays and harbour walls is a “recurring nightmare” for every Harbour Master, says Tina.

This year, Newquay Harbour has taken the step of banning the public from North Quay and installing a coded lock. Those who manage Cornwall’s busy harbours up and down the coast are speaking with one voice to tell people to stay away – and to choose one of the many places to swim and jump where it’s safe.

In Looe, there’s a byelaw which means swimming in the river is forbidden at any time of the year, and this is purely for safety, explains Tina Hicks.

“There are all sorts of boats moving in and out of the harbour all the time, from hire boats to the angling trips and the bigger commercial fishing boats. You can’t stop a boat as you can a car – there’s a huge stopping distance. And in many cases you can’t see a swimmer in the water. It really is dangerous.”

Meanwhile, the Banjo Pier splays out underwater, and beneath the surface are rocks and concrete wedges that form part of its structure, she says. “If you landed on one of the upright stones or one of the wedges at the bottom it would be horrific.”

In previous years, Looe Harbour staff have joined with police and coastguard to deliver presentations at the local schools to educate young people about the dangers.

“We’ve seen people jumping off right next to the warning notices – and it’s not just kids, it’s adults.”

Tina highlights that there’s a zoned swimming area off East Looe Beach and places where it’s safe to jump off rocks into the water.

Looe Harbour Commissioners are now considering joining the Devon and Cornwall Police community accreditation scheme, which would give uniformed harbour staff certain powers of enforcement similar to police officers.

In the meantime, anyone jumping in where they shouldn’t faces prosecution under the local byelaws.

“We’ve put in additional CCTV cameras and we’re focusing on the spots where we get the jumpers, so we can collate evidence. It seems such a shame that we’re having to consider the prosecution route when basically it’s all to protect people’s safety – but we will prosecute.”

Councillor Loïc Rich is Chair of the Cornwall Harbours Board. He said: “We are asking anyone who is planning on jumping into the water to put safety first. I’d also ask that parents keep track of their children’s activities and remind them of the dangers of tombstoning. 

“Submerged objects may not be visible, the depth of the water can dramatically change, and water temperature can also cause cold water shock which makes it difficult to swim. Jumping from height into the water can and has caused serious injury and death.

“If you do want to jump from height into the sea, the advice is to join a coasteering group with a professional and reputable adventure centre.”