Coastal rangers are looking for volunteers to join their ranks in the build-up to the Olympic sailing events.

The 12 volunteer coastal rangers are needed to help maintain the rural coastline, assist tourists and help keep the coast clean, safe and well-presented to showcase Dorset’s dramatic beauty.

With a dedication of at least 100 hours between early May and the Paralympics ending in September the volunteers will be trained in emergency first aid, informed about the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, educated about coastal wildlife and will learn about the technicalities of competition sailing.

Dorset County Council coastal ranger John Hayes said: “The focus for visitor management for the sailing events is rightly upon urban Weymouth – but it is impossible to predict how many extra people will be walking the coast path and accessing the cliff tops and beaches along more rural sections of the county’s coast.

“What is certain is that our beautiful coastline has much to offer, and we want to make sure that it is well managed and that we make the most of this opportunity to showcase it to the world.”

The council’s coastal ranger team is working with Wild about Weymouth and Portland Project and the Lulworth ranger teams to find 12 volunteer rangers to ‘adopt’ rural sections of the coastline between Portland Bill and Lulworth Cove.

Lyn Cooch from the Wild about Weymouth and Portland Project said: “We are looking for people who have pride in, and affinity for, a particular section of coast and who are willing to share that enthusiasm with visitors.

“We want the volunteer coastal rangers to provide a friendly, uniformed presence, to be our ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground, and to carry out any minor maintenance they come across – such as picking up litter.

“More importantly we are looking for people who can engage with visitors, whether this is to provide information on the distance to the nearest café or to communicate what it is about Dorset’s coast that makes it so special.”

There are six sections of rural coastline to be ‘adopted’ and the team is looking for two volunteers in each area.

These are Portland Bill to Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove to Portland Castle, Hamm Beach to Bincleaves, Bowleaze Cove to Osmington Mills, Osmington Mills to White Nothe and White Nothe to Lulworth Cove.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or hearing more about the opportunity, and are over 18, complete an expression of interest form – available from dorsetforyou.com/2012volunteercoastalrangers Alternatively, email John Hayes at j.hayes@ dorsetcc.gov.uk or call 01305 228953.