Woman dies and man is left fighting for his life after they got into difficulty in the sea 'while trying to rescue pet dog'

Published: 17:27, 31 May 2026 | Updated: 17:28, 31 May 2026 A woman has died and a man is fighting for his life after they both entered the sea in an attempt to rescue their pet dog. Emergency services rushed to Thornton Cleveleys in Lancashire at around 8.31pm yesterday, following reports of two people in difficulty in the water. They were pulled from the sea near Fleetwood Beach Café by the coastguard before being handed to paramedics. Police said both the man and the woman, both in their 60s, were treated at the scene. Tragically, the woman was pronounced dead in hospital while the man remains in a critical condition. The dog was 'recovered safe and well'.    Police said: 'Shortly after 8.31pm yesterday, we were contacted by the ambulance service to inform us they were treating two people after they had been recovered from the sea in Thornton Cleveleys by HM Coastguard. 'Our officers attended the scene, near to Fleetwood Beach Cafe.' A woman died and a man is in a critical condition after getting into difficulty at Thornton Cleveleys in Lancashire They added: 'At this time, we understand that a man and a woman had got into difficulty in the water after entering to rescue their dog who had become stuck. 'They were treated at the scene, but sadly the woman, aged in her 60s, was pronounced dead at hospital. Enquiries to identify her next of kin are ongoing. 'The man, also in his 60s, was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition. 'The dog was recovered safe and well.' Officers have also confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the woman's death. A file will be prepared for the coroner. The incident has prompted renewed reminders about the dangers of entering open water, particularly in emergency situations where conditions can quickly become unpredictable and hazardous, even for strong swimmers. A 19-year-old man who was pulled from a lake in Nottinghamshire on Thursday, became the 15th person to die in water during a record-breaking heatwave in recent weeks. Emergency services were called to Balderton Lake in New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, on Thursday at around 2.35pm following reports of a teenager seen getting into difficulty in the water.  The 19-year-old, who had been at the lake with friends, was recovered and treated at the scene before being taken to hospital. But on Saturday, Nottinghamshire Police confirmed the teenager had not survived. Meanwhile, an unnamed man in his 40s was discovered on Saturday afternoon in the River Yare, close to the village of Surlingham in Norfolk. He had not been seen since Friday, prompting a large-scale search operation involving fire, ambulance, air ambulance, coastguard personnel and other search teams. The latest deaths occurred during the May heatwave, which saw temperatures rise to 35C in parts of the UK. The latest deaths come as 15-year-old Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, died in hospital on Saturday after getting into difficulties in the sea in Merseyside on Bank Holiday Monday Junior Slater, 12, and Declan Sawyer, 15, both died while swimming in open water during this month's heatwave Pictured: Charlie Noble - the 16-year-old who died at Bracklinn Falls near the Scottish town of Callander, in Stirling It comes after a 15-year-old girl died in hospital on Saturday after getting into difficulties in the sea off the coast of Merseyside on Bank Holiday Monday. Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital after swimming at Formby beach, Merseyside Police said. The hot weather has attracted scores of people to open-water swimming, resulting in a number of deaths in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire over recent days. On Friday, Police Scotland named a 16-year-old who died after getting into difficulty in the water in Stirlingshire as Charlie Noble, while on Wednesday the body of 14-year-old Baltazar L'Qui was found in the River Thames. Other tragic deaths that have occurred include Junior Slater, 12, who died on Tuesday after getting into difficulty in the River Ribble in Lancashire. A teenage boy's body was also found in a lake near Blackwater in Hampshire after he went missing while swimming. Formal identification has yet to take place, but his family has been informed. On Tuesday, two boys were found dead, including 17-year-old David Junior-Tita from Crewe, who died at Pick Mere Lake in Northwich, Cheshire. Meanwhile Muhammad Secka, 16, died after going swimming at Rother Valley Country Park in South Yorkshire. There were four more deaths on Monday as temperatures reached 34.8C at Kew Gardens and broke the record for the hottest-ever May day. Among them were 13-year-old Reco Puttock, who was pronounced dead after being found in Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The same day 16-year-old Lillianna Tomlinson was found dead at Warwickshire's Kingsbury Water Park. Heroic grandfather Phil Crow, 68, died after suffering a cardiac arrest when he ran out to the sea trying to rescue his wife and granddaughter when they got into difficulty at Tregirls Beach in Padstow, Cornwall. On Sunday, an unnamed 72-year-old woman died off West Angle Beach in Pembrokeshire, while 15-year-old Declan Sawyer died after getting into difficulty at Swanholme Lakes. An unnamed boy was also pulled from the water in Swanscombe, Kent. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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