A FAMILY and their dog say they wouldn’t be here to celebrate Christmas if it wasn’t for the quick-thinking of the RNLI.

Mum and daughter, Mandy Francis and Katie Holmes from Maentwrog were out walking with their dog, Badger, when they became trapped on the sandbanks by an incoming tide at Black Rock Sands and had to be rescued by the Criccieth RNLI team.

This week they visited their rescuers at the lifeboat station to thank them for giving them the opportunity to have Christmas as a family as they would not be here without them.

Mandy said: “We had been visiting this beach for many years and never realised the risks of walking on the sandbanks.

“We had always considered the beach to be a safe place to walk and did not realise how quickly the tide can come in around you and cut you off from the shore.

“We have always supported the RNLI but never thought that we would need to call on them to rescue us. We will never forget the care and kindness shown to us by the RNLI during the rescue and will always remember that they saved our lives that day.

“Christmas is all about family and we’re so lucky to still be here and we will be eternally grateful for their work.”

Katie was equally grateful.

“I didn’t realise how much danger we were in,” she recalled.

“I remember thinking that maybe calling 999 for help was too dramatic, but as the rising tide cut us off, I started to realise that we actually really were in trouble.

“I’d urge anyone not to delay calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard if they are in trouble or see someone else in difficulty.

“It was seeing the words ‘two lives and one dog saved’ outside the lifeboat station after we were rescued that really hit us on how our situation could have turned out so differently. We’re here to celebrate Christmas and that’s thanks to the RNLI who really did save our lives.”

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