RNLI lifeguards in Weymouth are celebrating 20 years of delivering their services to the coastal community - but are urging families to take note of beach safety advice as they brace themselves for a busy summer holiday season.

In 2001 the RNLI piloted a beach rescue service in Weymouth, Bournemouth, Poole in Dorset, as well as in Newquay and south east Cornwall - and in the first year 20 lives were saved.

It led to an official service being formed and an advancement in the equipment and training available to lifeguards. Safety literature information and warning signs were also developed for beaches so visitors know what dangers they may encounter and how to keep themselves safe.

READ MORE: RNLI rescue figures for 2020

From beach safety and prevention to rescuing those in the water and delivering casualty care, RNLI lifeguards are prepared to deal with any situation they might face. But the team is urging anyone choosing to visit the region to make sure they keep themselves and their families safe by following beach safety advice.

Duty supervisor and senior lifeguard, Josh Westlake, said: "At this time of year people are breaking up from school for their summer holidays so we expect more people to be visiting the coast. We have seen a fair few people already, especially with the hot weather recently. This year we are predicting it to be a lot busier as more people will be doing staycations and less people will be going abroad.

"Our work is pretty varied - we do a lot of first aid as well as assisting people in the water. At the beach there are a fair few inflatables and we tend to have an offshore wind so we have to help assist them back to shore a lot.

"On this beach in Weymouth we have a lost children's team who work with the council. We work together to reunite kids and parents and by handing out free wristbands which parents can put their phone number on and put on their child.

"If you're coming to the Dorset coast this summer always visit a lifeguarded beach, swim between the red and yellow flags, if you have got any children get them a wristband and if it's a sunny hot day make sure you drink plenty of water, stay in the shade and remember to put suncream on."

Dorset Echo: RNLI lifeguard Jessie Holmes on Weymouth Beach. Picture: Dorset EchoRNLI lifeguard Jessie Holmes on Weymouth Beach. Picture: Dorset Echo

Alice Higgins, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor in Weymouth, who looks after Greenhill, Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis beaches, said: "Thanks to RNLI lifeguards our beaches are safer places, so we can enjoy our time at the coast and return home safely at the end of the day. Around 95 per cent of a lifeguard’s work is prevention. They keep beachgoers safe by educating them about water safety and spotting the dangers before accidents happen."

Since its inception in 2001, RNLI lifeguards in the south west have saved the lives of 1,462 people, aided 273,210 people, responded to 229,871 incidents and carried out over 19 million preventative actions.

In the summer of 2020 RNLI lifeguards assisted 3,759 people under the age of 20. The most common activity was bodyboarding with a total of 852 incidents involving under 20’s, followed by swimming with 449 incidents. In addition, RNLI lifeguards responded to 127 incidents of teenagers' tombstoning.