Hidden danger

I often write about danger hidden from the characters in my stories… sometimes the reader knows what the character is ignorant of, knows how reckless their behaviour, or how naive their assumptions.

In real life there are also hidden dangers as a family found out last week, just along the coast from us. Our north Somerset coast  has long beaches stretching out towards the low tide mark, acres of golden sand, and dark and sticky mud. It has the second largest tidal range, only Fundy in Nova Scotia is greater. When the tide comes in, it comes incredibly quickly, and beneath the surface are undertows and rips. A week ago today, a little four year old tumbled into the sea; despite his mother and father’s gallant attempts he was lost. He as found on mud flats less than half a mile from where he fell, on Thursday.

My heart goes out to his family