Famous Southport Residents

Bill Doherty: Lifeguard

At the age of 61 Bill became the oldest person in England to pass the rigorous lifesaving test to gain the National Sea Bronze qualification.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

Awarded Bill the 1995 Endeavour Award of "OUTSTANDING LOCAL HERO' for 30 years service to the community of Southport/Sefton.

"It's A Knockout"

During the 1970's Bill trained Southport's team of athletes for the TV show "It's A Knockout". Other coaches for the team were Harry Boyle, Verdi Godwin and Dave Rogers.  More...

Memorable Rescues carried out by Bill Doherty - in Bill's own words

I have carried out hundreds of rescues at Southport either by bodily going into the sea or with the aid of the DUKW which was manned by an excellent crew. The following are just two which come to mind.

In the late 1960's I alighted from the DUKW together with Lifeguard Mike Claxton to patrol the sandbanks. I sent the DUKW to shore to change drivers for the late shift, as in those days the beach was patrolled from 7.30 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. I spotted a young girl running from the sea who was pointing back to the water. Mike quickly ran to the girl and I promptly waded into the water. I could not believe my eyes when I spotted a 6 year old boy lying on his back with the tide quickly flowing over him. I picked him up but desperately needed the DUKW to take us all back to shore. The children were in a state of collapse, exhausted and dehydrated, as it was a very hot day. It took 15 minutes for the DUKW to return and we raced three miles back to shore so the children could receive urgent First Aid. I found out later that the children had been missing for a total of 3 hours.

I don't know to this day what made me leave the DUKW and decide to patrol the sandbanks with the incoming tide but I do know those children were very lucky not to have been drowned.

That same day after making sure the children were safe and had medical treatment I carried on patrolling in the DUKW. By this time the tide was by the Pier, when I spotted a man in great distress and in a state of shock. He was the father of the rescued children, you can imagine how grateful he was to know they were safe and well but he was so upset he hardly had the strength to shake my hand! He was very shocked when he was told his children were 3 miles out from the beach.

Another rescue which quickly comes to mind happened one hot July afternoon in 1976, the tide had covered the sandbanks and we were stationed with the DUKW on a sandbank near the pier. Looking through my binoculars I spotted what I thought were sailing dinghies. There was a heat haze on the sea that made visibility a little difficult. I gave the binoculars to the DUKW driver and the lifeguards in turn but no one could see anything. They all said there was nothing there but every now and then I could see "colours". I instructed the driver to move the vehicle but by some miracle through the haze one of the lifeguards spotted some children. After dropping off two of the Lifeguards to patrol the area near the pier, the DUKW driver and myself went to the assistance of the children. It took 20 long minutes to reach them.

To our amazement there were 12 children and one teacher who had been cut off by the tide. The remaining 2 teachers who had stayed on the beach had apparently telephoned the coastguard. We put the children and the teacher on board the DUKW and sailed back across the sea, past the pier were dozens of holidaymakers cheered as we passed. All the children and the teacher were treated at the First Aid Post for shock.

The teacher and the children did not realise they could be cut off by the tide when they walked out to sea and they are all very lucky to be alive today.