Police issue warning after 'avoidable' reports of lost children
Lancashire Police's Fylde unit said the warm weather had led to a rise in visitors
Fylde Police have issued a warning to parents, after what they have called 'completely avoidable' reports of lost children on the Lancashire coast.
The unit says the warm weather has increased the amount of visitors to nearby beaches but it was "disappointing" to see unsupervised children.
On social media, they posted: "The beach is a very dangerous place for unsupervised children, and it is disappointing to see that youngsters are still regularly permitted to approach the water unsupervised.
"This could prove fatal, even to those who are competent swimmers.
"You are also risking the lives of the coastguards who would be deployed in a rescue situation.
"In 2 days, there have been several reports of missing children, which have used a significant amount of police and coastguard resources.
"These incidents are completely avoidable and have a detrimental impact to the service we offer, as when police officers are looking for lost children, we are unable to deal with or prevent crime."
The force have now issued this advice:
- Never leave children unsupervised, especially near the water
- Remind children of the basic principles of stranger danger, and who to approach if they need help
- Take a photograph of children at the start of the day, so you have a clear image of each child and their clothing
- Consider attaching a wrist band to each child with a parent’s contact number, DO NOT add the child’s name
- Discuss a meeting point with all members of the family, in the event of any person becoming lost
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