A RECORD number of missing children were reunited with their families on the seafront this summer.

Child beach safety initiative LV= KidZone found 219 missing youngsters, up on their previous record of 203 children in 2009.

Missing beachgoers were also reunited with their loved ones quicker than ever before.

This year, children were reunited with their parents or guardians in an average time of five minutes and 56 seconds, almost forty seconds faster than the previous 2015 record of six minutes and 34 seconds.

The scheme, which launched over the summer school holidays, extended to Poole for the first time this year.

LV= KidZone has been running for 11 years and works by giving children free colour-coded wristbands that match up with clearly marked zones along the seafront.

Specially trained LV= KidZone staff, as well as seafront rangers and RNLI lifeguards, are then on hand to help reunite missing children with their families.

Assistant Senior Ranger Tom Harris said: “Bournemouth and Poole’s beaches are extremely popular throughout the summer holidays and our soft, golden sand makes them the perfect playground. “Each year, we team up with LV= on the KidZone scheme to make sure that children have fun and stay safe on our award-winning beaches.”