Girl Rescued By Appledore Fishermen - 29th May 1959

Prompt action by two Appledore fishermen, Messrs Sidney and George Cann resulted in the rescue of a 14-year-old Barnstaple girl, Octavia Cummings, from the Torridge on Saturday.
They were tarring a boat near Appledore when they heard a cry for help. They went out in a motor boat, picked up the girl who was being swept out by the ebbing tide into the estuary and landed her at Instow.
Octavia had been swimming from the sands there and when she realised her inability to swim back against the current to the shore she floating with it and shouted for help.
Her friend Cynthia Smith aged 12, who was spending the day with her, said that Octavia, 'a strong swimmer,' swam out after a ball. 'I saw her standing up to her waist on sand and then she seemed to be swept off her feet. She tried to get back with the ball but I heard her shout and then she seemed to disappear.'
Cynthia ran half a mile for help and the RAF rescue helicopter was called by Mr Albert Vaggers, of the Jubilee Hall, Instow. It arrived within five minutes and took Octavia to the sick bay at RAF Chivenor where she was treated for shock and then allowed to return to her home at 41 Woodville, Barnstaple.