Drowned teen's mum warns others of tide dangers

The mother of a teenager who drowned while trying to rescue family members when they were pulled out to sea, says she is trying to create positives from "a sad situation".

Callum Baker-Osborne, from Coventry, died in 2021, when he went to help his young nieces and nephews who were swept out by a rip tide.

The 18-year-old swam to save them but the tide was too strong and he was last seen holding his seven-year-old sister's head above the water.

Five years on, his mum Ann Osborne said the family have been working with the RNLI to raise awareness around his death: "It's just getting a positive outcome from such a sad situation."

In her first interview since her son's death, she told BBC CWR that her son had a good sense of humour.

"He liked to smile and made everybody laugh. Just happy wherever he went," she said.

Ann said her son and his twin brother, Ryan, when they were ill, would swap places with each other.

"The one who was good at school would then become the one that needed help, and vice versa. The school found it funny," she added.

Callum died during a family holiday to Rockley Park, near Poole in Dorset.

All the children who were caught in the rip tide survived.

Since his death, his family have raised £30,000 to help support the RNLI crew in Poole and to try and educate children who live in cities like Coventry, far from the coast, about the dangers posed by unseen currents.

Rip currents are strong currents running out to sea, which can quickly drag people and debris away from the shallows of the shoreline and out to deeper water, according to the RNLI.

Every year since his death, his family have held Callum's Day, where they raise money through a day of festivities and activities at Pinley Rugby club in Coventry, where he was a player.

"We just try and stay positive that we're doing this to help the RNLI save lives and trying to get the word to inner city children that don't know about rip tides and the dangers of the water," Ann said.

"We talk about Callum all the time, so the younger ones are starting to ask questions."

In January, Callum was awarded the King's Commendation for Bravery.

His mum said their work to educate children from landlocked cities like Coventry about the dangers posed by the water, saw them go into schools to give talks.

"We're just trying to get it to the inner city children that 'yes, it's fun with the water. But please, parents, teach your children about the dangers'," Ann added.

"We don't want anyone going through what we've had to go through."

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