A number of near-drowning incidents have taken place in Dublin in recent weeks due to inflatables used on the sea.
But in a bizarre twist it has emerged that similar incidents have resulted in life-saving heroes being sent bills for the inflatables after they have been burst mid-rescue.
in Portmarnock to save two young girls from drifting out to sea on an inflatable flamingo.
At the same spot in July before the RNLI arrived from Howth.
Back in the 1980s in Cornwall, a young girl was saved by RNLI and Search and Rescue officers and her parents then sent the heroes a £7 bill for the lilo!
The anecdote was shared by Mike Carter, president of the RNLI branch at event during the weekend.
He said: "A family visiting Porthleven purchased a lilo from a local shop and went to the beach.
"There was an off-shore wind and the parents immediately experienced their child waving goodbye as the lilo went further and further out.
"The coastguard scrambled the SAR helicopter which was soon on scene.
"The diver jumped from the the helicopter and saved the child. He instantly put a knife through the lilo to save any further drifting and they were both winched to safety."
He continued: "Two weeks later the commanding officer (CO) of 771 received a request to pay an invoice for £7 the cost of the lilo.
"The CO wrote replying: 'I will be happy to pay your invoice on receipt of payment for the helicopter rescue £7,000.' No response was received."
Earlier this Summer a 14-year-old school girl drowned at Seapoint Beach, near Termonfeckin, Co Louth.
Jill Amante died after a helicopter winchman plucked her from the tide in late June. She was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda but despite the best efforts of rescuers she died a short time later.
