Cleethorpes RNLI urging us to help keep children in safe at the beach
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said its lifeguards saved 25 children's lives across the country last year
The RNLI said that 7,010 children (aged 7-14) were aided by RNLI lifeguards last summer across the country, that's almost 600 more than the year before.
The Charity is urging us all to look out for each other while at the beach.
Matthew McNally from the RNLI in Cleethorpes said:
"If you're having a day at the beach have a great day! But keep an eye on where the kids are, on where everybody is. If you all know where you all are and are looking out for each other, you're much more likely to stay safe."
Over a third of all people needing help in the water last summer were children. In June, a 15-year-old girl died after being pulled from the water at Cleethorpes beach. Another teenager was also airlifted to hospital at the time and was later discharged.
Matthew McNally said:
"At Cleethorpes the biggest problem we tend to face is the tide coming in, sandbanks appearing and disappearing, people being cut off by the tide. They lose track of time, lose track of their surroundings, look up and see that they've been surrounded by the sea and that they need a lifeboat to rescue them.
"When the tide is coming in and going out the currents are very strong, the water moves fast - much faster than even the strongest swimmer so you can't outswim it. A young person finding themselves in the water in that situation is going to be in trouble very quickly."
The RNLI advise anyone who gets into trouble at the beach to not panic but to 'float to live': to lie with your head back and control your breathing, shout for help or swim to safety once you've caught your breath.
Matthew McNally said: "If you see somebody who's in trouble or who you think might be in trouble, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. If it turns out that nothing was wrong in the first place that's fine; we'd much rather be called out unnecessarily than called out too late."