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Safety On The Beach

Do take sensible precautions when on the beach especially with children.

… take care when sun bathing. Use protection and avoid the midday sun and over-exposure. It is not worth it!

...have a rest after eating. Always wait at least an hour after large meals before swimming, and never drink alcohol before going for a swim.

...go swimming with a friend. No matter how good a swimmer you are, you may need help. And never let young children out of your sight.

...take care with inflatables. An offshore wind can blow you out to sea in seconds. Remember, offshore winds often make the sea look very calm and flat. Check which way the flags are blowing.

...get out if you feel cold. Even strong swimmers get tired in the cold.

...keep an eye on the tides. It is very easy to get cut off by the tide, especially on flat beaches where it may come in much faster than you expect!

...take notice of signs and flags. Remember, lifeguards patrol the area between red-and-yellow flags, a black-and-white check flag means surfing only, and a red flag means no swimming.

...don''t swim near piers, rocks or groynes. Dangerous currents can develop, and you can get knocked into them very easily.

...don''t dive into shallow water. If you can''t tell how deep it is, don''t dive! Lots of spinal injuries occur each year because people dive into shallow water.

For more information, click on to www.lifeguardsupport.co.uk