A Birkenhead family have made an emotional trip back to Barmouth to highlight a campaign that saved the life of their 12-year-old daughter.

Milena Smith believes Mabel is only alive today thanks to her sister Elsie, 10, frantically shouting instructions to float as she was being swept away by the tide. Elsie had learned about the RNLI’s Float to Live advice during swimming lessons at school, and her parents are eternally grateful this knowledge to floating like a starfish was passed on to her big sister during the terrifying ordeal.

The family were on holiday enjoying the beach when tragedy almost struck. Milena, originally from Poland, said: “One minute the girls, who can swim, were playing in the sea up to their waist.

“It seemed so lovely and calm. There were lots of people swimming.

“Very quickly, the girls started heading further and further out and screaming loudly. It was like a scene from a nightmare, I can’t swim and just felt so helpless. My husband went in and managed to get to my youngest daughter, who thankfully started to feel sand beneath her feet as she had reached a sandbank, but my eldest Mabel was completely out of sight.

“I was in such a state of panic. My English is very good but I found myself lacking vocabulary for technical terms, especially not living by the sea. I called 999 and asked for the coastguard and I have nothing but praise for the call handler who was so calming and helped me to pinpoint exactly where Mabel had entered the water. It was so reassuring to see the lifeboat heading out there.

“I can’t believe the float advice is not taught to children everywhere, it’s a vital skill everyone should learn as you never know when you may need it. As a non-swimmer at my age, this has promoted me to now learn how to swim. I’m just so grateful Elsie has heard this advice or our holiday could have ended very differently and it doesn’t bear thinking about.”

The coastguard received multiple calls from the public reporting three people in the water at Barmouth. Barmouth lifeboat launched, alongside Barmouth and Aberdovey coastguard rescue teams and the coastguard helicopter. The RNLI quickly reached Mabel, who was calmly floating on her back but had drifted a quarter of a mile out to sea in a fast, outgoing tide. Mabel said her sister was still in the water, unaware that Elsie and their dad had managed to return to shore on their own.

Mabel was taken back to the boathouse, where she was checked over by the helicopter paramedic before being reunited with her family.

RNLI’S Barmouth Daryl James, on the lifeboat that day, said: “When you get the call to people in the water there is a massive sense of urgency as it really can be a life or death situation. When we arrived, the young girl, despite her serious predicament, remained calm and was floating on her back with waves breaking over her.”

The RNLI’s ‘Float to Live’ advice for anyone in trouble on the water means leaning back and spreading your arms and legs to stay afloat, controlling your breathing, then calling for help or swimming to safety. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 for the coastguard, or the fire and rescue service if you are inland.

Daryl added: “When we found out float advice was given to Mabel by her little sister, we were all quite overwhelmed and so relieved this advice helped to save a life. It’s very difficult to fight the instinct to panic, but Mabel did really well in staying calm and gently floating until help arrived. We hope people take heed of this advice.”