Girl died after pulled from sea whereas retrieving ball because it took quarter-hour to get assist
Chiedza Nyanjowa, 15, died in hospital five days after being pulled from the sea while playing volleyball with her cousins at Formby beach during the bank holiday weekend
Chiedza Nyanjowa, 15, died after getting into difficulty while retrieving a ball(Image: Merseyside Police)
A 15-year-old girl tragically died days after being swept out to sea while visiting Formby beach with her family. Chiedza Nyanjowa was enjoying a game of volleyball with two of her cousins at the beach, near Albert Road, when the ball ended up in the water around 3pm on bank holiday Monday, May 25.
She and her 11-year-old cousin ventured into the sea to fetch the ball but Chiedza, along with her younger cousin, were carried away from the shore as they tried to retrieve it.
An inquest, conducted at Bootle Town Hall today (June 3), heard evidence from coroner’s assistant, Emma Donaldson.
The court learned that the teenage girl, hailing from Cheshire, had been visiting her auntie at her home in Bolton during the half term and was unable to swim.
Prior to the family’s visit to Formby beach, Chiedza had been instructed to stay out of the water due to her lack of swimming skills, according to the evidence presented.
The inquest heard how her auntie lost sight of the children as they played due to the large crowd during the busy bank holiday. She and her younger cousin entered the water after the ball drifted into the sea, as it had done several times that afternoon, but a wave pulled them out with the water reaching up to Chiedza’s chin and her cousin’s neck, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The court was told: “The water depth increased, quickly reaching her cousin’s neck and Chiedza’s chin. Chiedza was submerged and she tried to climb onto her cousin, submerging her.”
Chiedza was instructed to cling onto the ball they had gone to collect from the water as a buoyancy aid while her cousin departed to fetch assistance. Nevertheless, the inquest heard it required 15 minutes for her cousin to secure help.
The 15-year-old was retrieved from the water and discovered to be unconscious before three members of the public, including one off-duty doctor and two off-duty nurses – commenced performing CPR on the teenager.
The inquest heard how the air ambulance touched down at the beach at 3.35pm before it then departed at 4.23pm and arrived at Alder Hey at 4.33pm.
Despite the finest efforts of medical professionals and the members of the public, Chiedza died in hospital on Saturday, May 30.
Area coroner for Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley told the court: “Chiezda was aged 15. On the 25th of May 2026 she was at Formby Beach playing with a ball. The ball entered the water and she went in to get it, but was pushed out by the waves.
“She was recovered from the water unconscious. Bystanders performed CPR and she was transferred to Alder Hey Hospital. Despite care and treatment, she sadly died on the 29th of May 2026 as a consequence of a brain injury caused by her submersion in the water.”
Ms Wheeler ruled the death as a result of misadventure, with a post-mortem confirming her cause of death as a brain injury due to drowning. She stated: “This is the unintended result of a deliberate act of going into the water to retrieve the ball.”
She labelled the incident as a “tragedy” and extended her heartfelt condolences to the family of the girl who did not attend the inquest.
The coroner expressed: “I am so so sorry for your loss, I cannot imagine what you are going through.”
Ms Wheeler also voiced concerns about illegal parking in the vicinity of the beach and the potential hindrance this could pose to emergency services trying to access the beach. However, she clarified there was no evidence that this contributed to or caused Chiedza’s death.
Ms Wheeler commented: “I am extremely concerned that selfish and illegal parking on single yellow lines could have an impact on emergency services in future deaths.”
Despite her concerns, the coroner decided against issuing a prevention of future death report as there was no one who could reasonably address the parking issues around Formby beach, but she did condemn the drivers.
She also praised the actions of bystanders who, she said, could have “frozen” in the moment, but instead battled to try and save the life of the teenager.
She stated: “I want to offer my commendation for the bystanders who helped and the condemnation for the selfish, inconsiderate drivers who are parking illegally for the sake of having to avoid walking a short distance [from the beach].”
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