Jordan died after being swept into the sea off Hartlepool

An eight-year-old boy died after he was swept out to sea at Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, on Saturday afternoon.

And a 10-year-old boy died after getting into difficulties in the sea at a holiday resort at Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire.

It has also been reported by a National Trust warden in north-east England that gangs of teenagers have been playing a dangerous game called tombstoning, in which they jump off cliffs into the sea.

Very dangerous

Coastguards say parents need to be extra vigilant round the British coast.

A spokesman said: "We have got strong tides at the moment.

"If you have strong offshore winds it can be very dangerous and parents need to be extra vigilant.

Youngsters play cliff jump game

"It can be very tempting to swim at this time of the year with the warm weather but swimmers still need to be cautious."

People are urged to use beaches where there are lifeguards because they have better safety records.

On Saturday, eight-year-old Jordan Moon from Hartlepool was swept out to sea near the town and later picked up by an RAF helicopter.

Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

He died at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, said Cleveland police.

Man drowned

In Lincolnshire, 10-year-old Liam Geary, from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, was pulled from the sea by passers-by.

He was airlifted to the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Liam was on holiday with his parents.

The tragedy happened close to the spot where a man drowned on Friday.

Sea conditions along the east coast are expected to improve over the next 24 hours.