OVER 40,000 primary school children across the South West have been visited by RNLI lifeguards ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend, as part of a safety initiative before families flock to the region’s beaches.

Among them were pupils from St Nicholas C of E Primary in Downderry, who welcomed the lifeguards with curiosity and enthusiasm.

The sessions taught children how to spot dangers at sea, the importance of swimming between the red and yellow flags, and how to call for help in an emergency.

Following successful Easter patrols, RNLI lifeguards have spent the last few weeks visiting 288 schools in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset as part of the ‘Meet the Lifeguards’ programme and estimate that they’ve spoken to around 40,000 pupils about how to best stay safe on the beach.

RNLI lifeguards will return to 26 beaches across the region on Saturday, May 3 as daily patrols for the summer season get underway. Lifeguards will begin patrols on more of the region’s beaches from Saturday, May 24, and again in July for the peak summer season.

Tim Treloar, Water Safety Education Manager for the South West, said: “Our lifeguards have really enjoyed returning to schools this year. This programme is very important to us leading up to the summer season where we see so many families bring their children to the wonderful beaches in this area. It encourages families to plan their visit and to choose a lifeguarded beach.

“We teach the children about how to Float to Live, the risks in the water and on the beach, and how to seek help in an emergency. We aim to increase children’s awareness of the potential dangers that exist around the coast, such as being aware of the weather conditions and changing tides, along with the ability to identify beach flags.”

Beaches patrolled from May 3 in Cornwall: Crantock, Fistral, Towan, Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth, Tregonhawke, Widemouth, Summerleaze, Treyarnon, Constantine, Harlyn, Polzeath, Praa Sands, Porthtowan, Chapel Porth, Perranporth, Gwithian North, Hayle Towans, Porthmeor, Sennen.