Around 8,000 people visited one Cornish beach over the bank holiday weekend
Lifeguards say they dealt with hundreds of preventative actions
It is estimated that one beach in Cornwall had around 8,000 people on it over the bank holiday weekend.
Lifeguards at Perranporth dealt with hundreds of preventative actions, including two rescues, seven missing people and six major first aids.
The Community Lifesaving group posted on Facebook to say someone also set fire to a tyre in the dunes.
They described it as being like a bank holiday in August.
It comes just days after the RNLI and Coastguard launched a joint coastal safety campaign ahead of the summer season.
The charity said that Cornwall is expected to be at 97% capacity this summer as lifeguards face their 'busiest ever season'.
It is estimated that around 30 million people are planning to visit a UK beach this summer, with more people choosing staycations because of the current uncertainty around foreign travel and holidays.
"Last summer, RNLI lifeguards patrolling beaches across the south west recorded nearly 9M visitors. We know the south west is a popular destination for those holidaying at home and with many accommodation providers reporting being at capacity for the summer, we are expecting this year to be the busiest ever.
"These new figures back that up. We want people to enjoy the region’s spectacular coastline abut urge everyone to respect the water, think about their own safety and know what to do in an emergency.
"Our main advice is to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. RNLI lifeguards will be patrolling around 100 beaches** across the south west this summer to offer advice on how to stay safe and they are also there to help anyone who gets into trouble.
"Coastal areas provide a great opportunity to enjoy fresh air and open space but they can be an unpredictable and dangerous environment, particularly during early summer when air temperatures start warming up but water temperatures remain dangerously cold, increasing the risk of cold water shock."
Steve Instance, RNLI’s Water Safety Lead for the South West
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