A BASEBALL cap saved a schoolboy from death after he was buried alive when a sand dune collapsed on him.

The brim of 13-year-old Nathan Priestley's hat is thought to have created a pocket of air when he was entombed tunnelling in sandhills with his Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School pal Patrick Baynes.

Patrick and his mum, supply teacher Lynda, of Helmshore Road, Haslingden, frantically dug with their hands to try and get Nathan out from under 30ft of sand..

They were joined by three passers-by as Patrick's sister Victoria and her friend Hayley Corbridge ran to find a phone to call the emergency services.

Nathan, of Birtle, Bury, had lost consciousness by the time he was pulled from the tunnel on a beach at Newborough, Anglesey, where he was holidaying with Patrick's family. He survived depsite being under 30ft of sand for 10 minutes. A relieved Mrs Baynes said: "I was hysterical. I just kept thinking, 'how can I tell his mum that he's dead?'

"I was only eight feet away when it happened. The whole dune just slid like a slag heap.

"I never believed for one moment that he would survive. He was under for ten minutes and his face was blue when he came out.

"Patrick was able to tell the men where Nathan was and they dug with their hands and children's beach shovels. If it wasn't for them Nathan would not be alive. It's a miracle."

Nathan's dad John said: "Before he went on holiday Nathan borrowed his brother's baseball cap. It caused an argument but he is convinced the stiff brim created a pocket of air.

"Nathan told us he remembered a 999 TV programme about breathing shallowly and slowly to conserve air and tried to do that."

Today Mr Priestly and Mrs Baynes joined police in warning holidaymakers of the dangers of digging in sand.

"When the tunnel collapsed the whole sand dune shifted forward and buried him. If those three chaps had not been there I do not think Nathan would be here today," he said.

The men, all locals, are being nominated for awards.

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