MORE than 8,000 children and adults were given safety tips by experts on preventing drowning.

As part of Drowning Prevention Week, leisure centre staff, firefighters and volunteers from the Severn Area Rescue Association showed how to stay safe around water.

Chepstow firefighters demonstrated a water rescue and visitors to the town's leisure centre had the opportunity to try out resuscitation techniques on a dummy.

There were also demonstrations at Caldicot and Monmouth leisure centres.

The week started off with a charity car wash at Chepstow Leisure Centre with local firefighters putting the high pressure hoses on board a tender to good use.

That event raised nearly £300 for the Firefighters' Charity and the Royal Life Saving Society which promotes Drowning Prevention Week.

Helen Dymond, the manager of Caldicot and Chepstow leisure centres, said: "Mon Leisure worked with the comprehensive schools, primary schools and the site centre swimming lessons over the course of the campaign.

"During the course of Drowning Prevention Week about 8,000 children and adults were involved in some way throughout the whole of Monmouthshire.

"The feedback from the children and parent's from all sites have been fantastic.

"The staff and volunteer helpers have been amazing in their support and enthusiasm for this event.

"We received a lot of help from organisations most notably the South Wales Fire Service and SARA.  

"If we have prevented any child from drowning then we have indeed achieved our mission."