A new bronze sculpture honoring RNLI lifeguards is set to be installed on the rocky foreshore of Porthmeor beach in St Ives. The work, titled Let Not The Deep Swallow Me Up and created by local artist Holly Bendall, depicts a female lifeguard standing watch over the sea and is meant to mark the service’s 25th anniversary.\n\nThe piece draws inspiration from the 2006 rescue performed by lifeguard Sophie Grant‑Crookston at Perranporth, where she saved a surfer and earned the RNLI’s Bronze Medal for Gallantry. While the heroism occurred in a different town, the artist and the RNLI argue that the chosen site offers a safer, more visible setting for visitors.\n\nSt Ives Town Council objected, contending that the story belongs to Perranporth and that the design process lacked meaningful local consultation. Council members called for a work that reflects St Ives’ own character and landscape, questioning the “arbitrary” placement.\n\nCornwall Council’s planning officer approved the application, noting that the sculpture’s scale and siting are appropriate and that the objections do not outweigh the cultural merit of the project. Both the sculptor and the RNLI expressed disappointment at the council’s stance but remain hopeful that the statue will become a lasting tribute to lifeguards and the coastal community.\n\nThe debate highlights a broader tension between commemorative art, local identity, and practical concerns about safety and accessibility on Cornwall’s beaches.

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