BANK holiday visitors to Bournemouth’s beaches are being urged to heed safety advice, following one of the deadliest periods to have hit Britain’s coastline in recent years.

Earlier this week five men, understood to be in their late teens and early 20s and part of a London coach trip, died in a sea tragedy at Camber Sands, near Rye, East Sussex.

Last weekend a man, also part of a coach trip from London, died on busy Sandbanks beach after getting into difficulties in the rip current outside the safe swim area.These tragedies mean at least a dozen people have died along Britain’s coast over a six day period.

Now the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is calling on anyone planning to visit Bournemouth’s beaches to put safety first and take heed of the charity’s advice.

RNLI senior lifeguard manager Steve Instance said: “We are expecting beaches across the south west to be very busy this bank holiday weekend as people make the most of the last few weeks of the school holidays.

“We want people to enjoy our beautiful coastline, but make sure they do it safely.

“Conditions can change quickly at the beach, so it is really important to respect the water and take extra care when visiting the coast.”

Mr Instance says RNLI lifeguards are always happy to answer any questions or advise of any risks, including where any rip currents may be, which can catch out even the most experienced swimmers.

He added : “If you spot anyone in difficulty on the coast ring 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

The RNLI says that if you get caught in a rip current, you should do the following:

  • Stay calm – don’t panic
  • If you can stand, wade don’t swim
  • Keep hold of your board or inflatable to help you float
  • Raise your hand and shout for help
  • Never try to swim directly against the rip or you’ll get exhausted
  • Swim parallel to the beach until free of the rip, then make for shore

Meanwhile, Cllr Lawrence Williams - Bournemouth Borough Council’s tourism portfolio holder - said: “We want everyone to be safe and enjoy their time at the beach, which means respecting the water, the beach and the staff that work to keep it a great place to visit.”

Chris Saunders, head of seafront operations at Bournemouth, said a team of seafront rangers would be patrolling the beach alongside the RNLI lifeguards.

He added: “We have CCTV and signage all along the seafront the reinforce the safety messages of both our staff and the RLNI, as well as running the LV= Kidzone scheme to ensure lost children can be reunited with their parents quickly and safely.”