'Gender reveal' sparks an emergency response

A BOAT “going around in circles” before firing a pink flare caused the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade to be called out on Easter Saturday.

- SAM VOLPE Health Reporter [e-mail]

The boat, which HM Coastguard had been told appeared “out of control” and had fired a flare - but it was in fact carrying out a gender reveal, as the life brigade crew discovered when they carried out a welfare check. The flare had been a pink one, to signify that the coming baby will be a girl.

Six members of the TVLB were deployed after the call to the coastguard, which was made at 6.41pm and related to a vessel in the vicinity of the Royal Quays Marina at North Shields. The boat had been seen going around in circles near the mouth of the Tyne at North Shields Fish Quay before turning back upriver.