THE death of an eight-year-old boy swept out to sea has led to lifeguards being reinstated at a North-East beach.

Councillors yesterday agreed that lifeguards return to Seaton Carew beach, near Hartlepool, and Hartlepool's Headland beach.

However, there was anger that Hartlepool Borough Council failed to provide lifeguards at the North Beach to the north of the town.

After the cabinet meeting at Hartlepool Civic Centre yesterday, June Wharam, mother of eight-year-old Jordan Moon, who was drowned after being caught in a strong current when paddling at Seaton Carew last August, welcomed the news.

But she said she was disappointed that there will be no lifeguards for North Beach and other smaller areas, and that lifeguards will not be reinstated until mid-summer.

Speaking after the meeting she said: "Jordan was in the water for half an hour and it took the coastguard 12 minutes to get to him.

"If a lifeguard had been there to take charge, or if they'd got to him that bit sooner, it would have given him a better chance."

Mayor Stuart Drummond requested officers to work out the costs of employing lifeguards for North Beach and other areas in time for next year.

The cost of reinstating the lifeguard service this year will be £98,000 compared to £18,000 when the council scrapped the service to cut costs in 2001.