Moment ‘idiot’ tourist taking a selfie is swept off her feet by treacherous wave that comes over pier wall – as coastguard issues warning no picture is worth dying for

• Tourist was knocked off her feet on the East Pier in Whitby during heavy waves

This is the moment an ‘idiot’ tourist taking a selfie atop a stone pier was swept off her feet by a colossal wave that washed over the wall – as the coastguard issued a warning that no photo was worth dying for during Storm Ciarán.

The warning has been issued after a number of people armed with mobile phones to take selfies were spotted strolling along the East Pier in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

One video which was shared on social media captured the moment a woman, branded an ‘idiot’ behind the camera, being swept off her feet by a treacherous wave on Sunday.

In the footage, she is knocked to the ground by the power of the wave and scrambles to her feet just in time to avoid being swept into the cauldron-like sea.

Seconds later she hastily starts to walk back along the pier to safety, drenched from head to toe.

This is the moment an ‘idiot’ tourist taking a selfie atop a stone pier was swept off her feet by a colossal wave that washed over the wall of the East Pier in Whitby, North Yorkshire on Tuesday 

Steve Hart, senior operations officer for HM Coastguard, said ‘Our advice is if there is a storm weather warning in place and if you don’t need to travel, just stay in.

‘It’s not worth risking your life for a picture or a selfie and it’s not worth risking our volunteers lives either, who would potentially have to go out on a rescue and pull you out of the water.

‘The weather is going to be bad over the next couple of days.

‘If there’s no need to travel or to go near the coast, just stay in.

‘Keep away from the water’s edge and keep away from any flood water.

‘It only takes 12 inches to float a car, and to float yourself away.’

On Tuesday, the east pier was closed following several incidents involving the public, including children.

Another video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by The Whitby Photographer, shows the woman walking on the pier and that she had been knocked down twice.

It also shows multiple people, including young children, walking along the pier before the coast guard storms in to rescue them from the dangerous waves on Sunday.

Another video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by The Whitby Photographer, shows multiple people, including young children, walking along the pier before the coast guard storms in to rescue them from the dangerous waves on Sunday

Responding to a commenter who said it would be ‘thrilling’ to be that close to the waves, the photographer said: ‘There are times when you can [watch the waves], with relatively little risk.

‘Sunday wasn’t that day, the girl was knocked over twice and landed inches from the wall edge, whilst only 10 mile away two people were swept off Staithes Pier into the sea, I imagine that wasn’t “Thrilling” for any of the involved parties who initially thought it would be “thrilling”.’

With Storm Ciarán expected to bring further bad weather, people are being warned to stay away from the water’s edge.

In South Tyneside, people are also being warned to stay away from the edge of a section of cliffs at Marsden Bay after heavy rain caused parts of the rock face to collapse.

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