Scythed by a kite surfer

September 2, 2009  •  Andalucia, Cadiz, National News  •  2 Comments

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A PENSIONER was almost garrotted by a kite surfer on a beach near Tarifa.

The elderly woman was taking a walk along Los Lances beach – a popular spot for kite surfers – when she got tangled in the lines of a surfer who was “out of control”.

The grandmother, who is in her eighties, was lucky that the ropes of the contraption did not wrap around her neck during the accident.

But she still had to be rushed to hospital in Algeciras suffering serious bruising and shock.

Her daughter Lola Ruiz del Portal, 57, said: “Luckily she was able to fend off the ropes with her arms otherwise it might have got caught around her neck.”

Portal immediately called the police and has now denounced the surfer, who was only 17, for reckless behaviour in a bathing area.

He and a friend – also a teenager – had attempted to leave the area, before the Guardia Civil turned up.

“Luckily she was able to fend off the ropes with her arms otherwise it might have got caught around her neck.”

Her daughter has now slammed the authorities for not enforcing the area reserved for the sport.

She insisted that there was no security in place at the area known as Los Pinos.

However Tarifa’s councillor in charge of beaches, Pedro Moreno insisted that safety personnel are usually on hand to enforce the laws.

He added that the kite surfing area is clearly marked.

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