WANTED HER CLOTHES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1939, Page 11

WANTED HER CLOTHES

GIRL SWIMMER RETURNS THOUGHT TO BE HEAD While speed-boats were still searching the coast,. off Southsea for her body, a -;| girl swimmer walked into Portsmouth'v| Guildhall police station and said: "Please may I have my clothes back?" She was 22-year-old Miss Edwards, -1 Dorking, Surrey, who had just returned from a cycling tour of the Continent Earlier in the day she arrived Portsmouth Swimming Club headquarters on Southsea front, borrowed fpS bathing costume, and said she was | going to swim to one of the Spithead rd torts, about half a mile away. ' ■ Local swimmers, knowing the strength of the tides,, tried to dissuade her, but; g she rersisted. They watched her anxi-^j ously as she set off. When she had gone about 400 yards she appeared to be in difficulties, and ;|| two boatmen rowed out to her aid. They || were about 30 yards from her when shdlff shouted twice, threw up her arms, and vani shed . ;,V§tj| A search was made, but in vain, a'nd>i| the boatmen returned to Southsea and vjj told the police. While speedboats were being sent outgS the girl's bicycle and clothes were hand--^| ed over to the coroner's officer andJl efforts were made to get in touch with!'^| her relatives. And then Miss Edwards walked toto^aj the Guildhall. She explained that she had swum » f S Haslar, more than a mile from Southsea | beach, and would have swum back but ; for the fact that the shipping traffic was | more dangerous than she expected. 7/| At Haslar she horrowed clothes and returned by road and ferry to Southsea I to learn that she had been presumed :f drowned. j