RNLI Urges coast-goers to stay safe as Lifeguard season comes to an end

Chris Cousens, RNLI Community Safety Partner, said: ‘With the weather starting to turn colder as we head into the Autumn and Winter, and sea conditions becoming more challenging, we are asking people to take more care on the coasts. With no lifeguards on duty we are reminding people that if they get into difficulty themselves, or they see someone in difficulty on the coast or at sea call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Our volunteer lifeboat crews remain on call all year round, and are ready to assist 24 hours a day, but the best thing we can advise is that if you are heading to the coast please respect the water, check tide times online or locally and read coastal safety signs and follow the advice on them’.

RNLI lifeguards patrol over 249 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands.

RNLI lifeguards are qualified in lifesaving and casualty care, highly trained, strong and fit. They must be able to swim 400m in under 7½ minutes, and run 200m on sand in under 40 seconds. However, a good lifeguard rarely gets wet - 95 per cent of a lifeguard's work is preventative.

RNLI lifeguards monitor sea conditions and set up the appropriate flags, watch the people on the beach and offer safety advice both on the beach and in classrooms through our education programmes.

With the summer drawing to a close and children heading back to school, the RNLI’s Lifeguards are beginning to finish for the season on most of the beaches they patrol in Wales.

Vinny Vincent RNLI Lifeguard said: ‘This year we have had the busiest season yet in Ceredigion, due to the warm weather and influx of visitors we have seen an increase in the number of incidents and people needing assistance. Along with all the routine preventative work, lifeguards have dealt with major first aids, water rescues, animal rescues and much more. The team of lifeguards in Ceredigion have done a great job at keeping our beaches safe and I would like to thank them for all their hard work’.

You can find a list of Lifeguarded beaches here.

Notes to editors:

Welsh Lifeguarded Beaches Season End Dates:

Finish 2^nd September

• Rhyl

• Prestatyn

• Pink Bay

• Coney / Sandy Bay

• Whitmore Bay (Barry)

• Southerndown

• Ogmore

• Llantwit major

• Aberavon

• Swansea Bay

• Langland

• Caswell

• Port Eynon

• Three Cliffs

• Pembrey

• Pendine Sands

• Amroth

• Saundersfoot

• Tenby North

• Tenby Castle

• Tenby South

• Freshwater West

• Broad Haven

• Nolton Haven

• Newgale South

• Newgale Central

• Newgale North

• Newport Sands

• Poppit Sands

• Borth

• Clarach

• Aberystwyth North

• Aberystwyth South

• New Quay Harbour

• Llangrannog

• Tresaith

• Aberporth

Finish 23^rd September

• Trecco Bay

• Rest Bay (Weekends Only)

Finish 28^th October

Whitesands

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.