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Matt had collapsed on the sand next to her and grasped her hand in his. ‘You can’t. She wouldn’t want you to. If anything happens to you, Sybil will never forgive me, or your mum, and it would kill me.’

Zennor sobbed, her nose snotty and her eyes streaming. ‘You can’t say that. Why did you stop me from trying to reach her? I saw someone inside. I saw it. It could have been her.’

The marquee was now completely on fire and ashes were falling from the sky.

‘I saw her – I saw someone!’ Zennor wailed, trying to crawl away but Matt took her hand again.

‘Come away. We don’t even know she is still inside. What if she got out and she’s up on the prom, petrified because she thinks we’ve been hurt? Let’s go up there.’

Zennor jumped to her feet, the urgency to find Sybil lending her fresh energy. At the same time, she was consumed with dread. What if … Sybil had been like a second mother to her, as well as a friend, an advisor, the wisest person in the world …

In moments, she and Matt were engulfed by people: lifeguards, paramedics and the fire-service volunteers. The crowds were held back by police and stewards at the back of the beach. Fire tenders and the RNLI pick-ups had converged on the sand where dozens of fire crew unrolled hoses and were barking instructions. The flames were driven by the gusts coming off the sea but the hoses were already damping it down.

Matt held her hand as they threaded their way past the stewards and police cordon towards a fleet of ambulances parked on the ramp to the beach. The smoke billowed into the air and across the sand, obscuring half the beach.

‘Oh God. If I’ve lost her …’ Zennor said, looking at him in despair.

‘Look!’ From the ramp, Matt pointed back down towards the stage area.

Four people emerged from the smoky tangle behind it carrying a rescue board. Zennor recognised Tyler and two of the others from the club, as well as the figure lying on the board, grey hair spread around her head, one arm dangling over the side.

‘Oh my God! It’s her.’

Matt’s arms were on hers, but Zennor broke free of him and ran back down the ramp. Her heart tried to break out of her chest.

‘Hey! You can’t come past,’ a police officer shouted.

‘That’s my friend!’ Zennor said, ignoring his outstretched hand and running across the sand as she’d never run before. She might be too late.

Matt was right behind her when they reached the stretcher with the limp figure wrapped in what looked like a bundle of dirty rags.

‘Sybil!’ Zennor’s hand flew to her mouth and she choked back a sob, seeing a face she barely recognised.

‘Is she …?’ Matt whispered.

Sybil’s cheeks were grimy with soot. Her lips were grey-blue but she opened her eyes. ‘Zen.’

‘Sybil!’ Zennor almost fainted with relief yet her happiness was extinguished as a medic shooed her away to place an oxygen mask over Sybil’s face.

Zennor jogged alongside them as they hurried Sybil towards the beach ramp and the waiting ambulance.

‘She’ll be OK,’ Matt said, putting his arm around her.

She buried her face in his shoulder as Sybil was loaded into the ambulance, but then heard a weak voice from the back of the vehicle.

Zennor climbed inside, kneeling next to the stretcher.

‘I – I thought you and Matt were in there. In the fire.’ Sybil waved a hand weakly. ‘I couldn’t let anything happen to you.’

‘No. Oh, Sybil!’ Zennor held her hand.

‘I thought you were in that marquee. I saw you running around the front and someone said they’d seen you go in …’

A paramedic interrupted. ‘Please. Love. Please let us help you. Don’t try to talk.’

‘B-but – I—’ Sybil collapsed coughing as the paramedic put the mask back in place.

‘Do as they say,’ Matt said, cramming into the ambulance to reassure Sybil.