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120 Rescued in Pier Drama

_{News Item from 1996}

A HUNDRED and twenty people were dramatically rescued from the pier at Aberavon beach yesterday when they were cut off by the tide. Coastguards connected up a length of rope to the north breakwater pier at one end and the promenade at the other and people clung to it as they waded through the seawater to safety. The promenade end of the breakwater was covered by seawater during the high autumn tide and no one was injured during the incident Many of the people on the breakwater were from Port Talbot and were fishing for mackerel shoals which came into Swansea Bay last night

A Port Talbot Borough Council spokesman said professional lifeguards were on duty at the beach and they patrolled the breakwater area during high tide while the Coastguards were helping people off. Port Talbot RNLI inshore rescue boat was also put on standby but was not launched. "We would like to thank the Coastguards and no one was hurt or injured." said the council spokesman.

Walked off Hundreds of mackerel were caught by the break- water fishermen and some of them stayed on the end off the pier until the tide receded and then walked off "It is a popular fishing area and is regularly used in the summer," said the spokesman. ••The hot weather brought a considerable number of people to the beach yesterday and many of them went on to the pier to watch the fishermen pulling in the mackerel." he added