Sand more deadly than sharks at beach

First it was killer sharks. Then it was killer bees. Now American holidaymakers are being warned to watch out for another dangerous hazard at the beach: killer sandcastles.

Families heading to the beach to build sandcastles went on full alert after a study by a US doctor, Dr Bradley Maron, and his father, Dr Barry Maron. The research showed that since 1990 more Americans had died after falling into holes dug in the sand than were killed in shark attacks - 16 as opposed to 12.

According to the study, holes in the sand can quickly become death traps. "Sand hole collapses happen horrifyingly fast," said Bradley Maron. "Victims become completely submerged in the sand when the walls of the hole suddenly collapse, leaving almost no evidence of the hole or the location of the victim."

Maron became interested in the topic in 1998. He was on holiday with his family on the island of Martha's Vineyard when he saw a lifeguard save an eight-year-old girl from a sand collapse. The girl survived after a dramatic rescue. But the incident left a big impression on Maron, who has spent years tracking and writing about similar incidents.

Overall, Maron and his father counted 31 sand-hole deaths since 1985 in the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. They also counted 21 incidents in which a person was rescued from a collapse. The victims, mostly boys, ranged from three to 21 years old, with the average age about 12.

Maron says children should not play alone in the sand or get into a hole deeper than their knees.

On Martha's Vineyard lifeguards now order children and adults out of any hole deeper than a child's waist, then kick sand in to fill the holes.

Dennis Arnold, head of the beach patrol on Martha's Vineyard, said some parents protested. "They say: 'You're ruining my kid's day!' I say: 'I don't care!'"

Lesson Plan

Tell students the article is about new research on dangerous hazards and deadly incidents that happen to holidaymakers at beaches. Pre-teach stressed words. - 3 mins

Write the headline on the board with gaps: "______ more deadly than ______ at beach". Students speculate on missing words. - 4 mins

Show the class the headline and students check their ideas. Then pass round the photo and caption for students to look at. Elicit the expression: build a sandcastle, plus other typical beach activities. - 4 mins

1. breathing in a lot of sand.
2. breathing in poisonous gas which comes out of the sand.
3. having an allergic reaction to sand.
4. climbing or falling into sand holes that collapse.

Give out copies of the questions below or write them on the board. Students read the article again and match the parts of the sentences. Explain any unknown vocabulary, eg lifeguard, victim. - 8 mins

1. The study is by two American . . .
2. Bradley Maron did the study with . . .
3. Bradley Maron saw a lifeguard save . . .
4. The victims of sand collapse are mostly . . .
5. The average victim of a sand collapse is . . .
6. Children are ordered out of holes by . . .

one of the following -

1. lifeguards
2. an eight-year-old girl
3. his father
4. boys
5. doctors
6. a 12-year-old child.

Tell students they are now going to write their own short article about a sand collapse incident. Focus students back on paragraph four of the article. As a class, write a newspaper headline and brainstorm the "full" details of the dramatic rescue of the girl. Include:

• the background
• events leading up to the accident
• the rescue

Encourage students to use dramatic language from paragraphs three and four. Students can finish their articles for homework. - 20 mins