“Concrete it over” – ideas shared for Southend lagoon after family get trapped in ‘quicksand’

Fresh calls are growing over what should happen to Three Shells Lagoon in Southend after more people became stuck in dangerous “quicksand” despite the area being fenced off.

The latest incident happened on Friday at the closed seafront lagoon, raising further safety concerns around the site.

Witnesses say a family had been climbing on the rocks when a child slipped into the wet sand below. While the child managed to get free, two women who rushed to help quickly became trapped themselves.

Barry French, who saw the incident unfold, said: “One kid fell off the rocks and into the wet sand. They were okay, but both the women then got stuck and their kids were screaming hysterically.

“Access to the rocks or the whole area needs to be blocked off.”

The area has already been fenced off with warning signs about the dangers of the unstable sand, but people are still managing to get into the restricted zone.

Southend City Council has previously confirmed that the £1.9 million lagoon, which opened in 2016, has effectively been closed following earlier incidents involving people becoming trapped.

It will not reopen until safety improvements are made.

A council spokesperson said: “In the meantime, our engineers are looking at a range of options for the lagoon.

“Any options are likely to require planning applications and coastal licensing approvals.”

What is the ‘quicksand’?

The so-called “quicksand” at Three Shells isn’t true quicksand, but heavily waterlogged sand and silt that becomes unstable under pressure. When stepped on, water trapped between the grains reduces friction, causing the surface to suddenly give way and behave more like a liquid.

Movement can make the situation worse, pulling feet deeper and making it difficult to escape without help. In tidal areas like this, conditions can change quickly, meaning ground that looks safe can suddenly become hazardous.

Residents divided on lagoon’s future

Following the latest incident, locals have been sharing strong views about what should happen next.

Jean Warren said: “People are just plain stupid and irresponsible. That fence is there for a reason!”

Others are calling for drastic changes to the site itself.

Alan Foster said: “Concrete the whole thing and make a splash park like the city beach fountains.”

Barbara Ray said: “There is no need for a pool. The sea is a few yards away. They should just fill the area in with sand like it used to be before someone thought a pool would be a good idea.”

Rob Frost added: “Maybe it needs to be removed altogether. Was never that good an idea. The stink that comes from it is sometimes overpowering. Would’ve been nice to have had an actual lido instead somewhere on or near the seafront, like the one that’s now under the casino.”

Imogen Kinsella said: “It should be remade as a proper outdoor swimming pool / lido.”

Growing pressure to prevent similar incidents

Despite fencing and warnings, Friday’s incident highlights ongoing concerns about access and safety, with growing calls for stronger physical barriers or a long-term decision on the lagoon’s future.

With engineers now exploring options, the debate over whether to rebuild, repurpose or remove the lagoon entirely is only intensifying.