Collapsed sand dune buries boy, 9

The exact spot where the nine-year-old was buried circled in red

A nine-year-old boy who was buried after a sand dune collapsed on him has been airlifted to hospital.

The child had to be dug free from the dune at Three Cliffs on Gower after a dune caved in while he was digging a hole in the sand.

Swansea coastguard said he was buried for three or four minutes.

He was taken to Swansea's Morriston Hospital and is believed to have suffered broken ribs and concussion.

South Wales Police said the nine-year-old was one of three children were playing in sand dunes at Three Cliffs when a dune collapsed burying one of the youngsters.

Two adults were able to dig the boy free. He was examined by a doctor at the scene before being airlifted to Morriston Hospital.

A police spokesman said he was believed to have suffered concussion and broken ribs, as well as swallowing some of the sand.

Helen Hutson, Swansea Coastguard watch manager, said: "We advise parents to keep a close eye on children while at the beach or in dunes.

"Tunnelling in sand dunes is dangerous because the sand tends to be very unstable and liable to collapse"