An eight-year-old girl was rushed to hospital with a bacterial infection after swallowing seawater during a family trip to a Dorset beach. Keeva Hollow was swimming with her twin sister at Avon Beach when a wave hit her and she swallowed water. The following day, she developed a high temperature, lethargy, and loss of appetite, prompting her mother to seek urgent medical care.
Family trip turns into health scare
Keeva's mother, Aisling McCarthy, took Keeva and her twin sister Cornelia to Avon Beach on August 3. During the swim, Keeva was struck by a wave and began spluttering. Aisling recalled: 'She came out and said she had swallowed a lot of water. Cornelia had not at all, and I didn't worry too much at the time.'
The next morning, Keeva refused breakfast and slept through the journey to London. Her temperature rose, and she was clearly unwell. Aisling took her to an out-of-hours doctor, where tests revealed blood in Keeva's stool. Aisling, who had seen a documentary about sewage pollution in water, recognised the symptoms and insisted on taking Keeva to A&E.
Hospital diagnosis and treatment
Keeva was put on a drip and underwent tests. She deteriorated rapidly, spending two days in hospital, where doctors diagnosed a Campylobacter infection. Aisling noted that the hospital mentioned food poisoning as a possible cause, but Keeva does not eat meat, a common source of the bacteria. She stated: 'Her illness happened straight after the sea-swallowing incident at Avon Beach, and Cornelia has not been ill at all. I am convinced that was what caused her to become so ill.'
Keeva has not fully recovered. Aisling said: 'She was always a very sporty girl but she now gets out of breath quickly. She used to keep up with me on a 5km run, but now she struggles to do 1km. She has lost a ton of weight, and her clothes are hanging off her. But the saddest thing is her fear of going into the sea.'
Authorities contacted but no response
Aisling contacted Wessex Water, which manages wastewater and environmental protection for the River Stour, to report Keeva's case and ask about recent sewage leakages. She has not received a reply. BCP Council sent a letter after being notified by the hospital, but it focused on food poisoning. Aisling replied stating her belief that seawater was the cause, but the council said they had no other reports of illness from sea swimming. Aisling expressed shock at their attitude, given the area's reliance on tourism.
Recent tests of the River Stour, which flows into the sea at Christchurch, showed 'extremely unsafe' levels of E. coli. Martin Stewart, managing director of Stewarts Garden Centres and chair of the Christchurch Harbour & Marine Society, reported E.coli levels of 300,000 on August 19, far above the safe bathing level of 1,000. He also found other concerning bacteria in his samples.
Aisling says her family's idyllic life by the ocean has been shattered by the incident.
