A tragic mother drowned in the sea trying to save her two young sons from a dangerous rip tide - the day after summer holiday lifeguard cover was withdrawn on a Cornish beach. The unnamed woman, in her 50s, and her two sons, aged 11 and 13, were caught in a strong current off Northcott Mouth, near Bude, at around 2pm on Monday (3/9). It is thought the boys had been bodyboarding when they got into difficulty and the desperate mother went in to rescue them and got into difficulty herself. But both boys were rescued unhurt after one made it back to shore and the other was pulled to safety by two men.