VOLUNTEER lifeguards have received a vital boost to the tune of £1,000.

The donation from Saxon Square Shopping Centre to Christchurch Life Saving Club means the volunteers at the group will be able to buy essential equipment.

The funding was used to purchase several items including rescue tubes, flotation devices that are used in water rescues, as well as a trailer to help them transport their life saving equipment to where it is needed most.

The equipment has already been put to good use, remaining on hand in case of emergency during the Club’s regular patrols of Friar’s Cliff Beach, and as part of training simulations adopted to teach the next generation of RNLI lifeguards.

The donation was awarded after the club applied to Saxon Square Shopping Centre’s community donation campaign, which aimed to find one deserving group to benefit from the £1,000 award.

Simon Lancaster, treasurer of Christchurch Life Saving Club, said: “We are hugely grateful to Saxon Square Shopping Centre for helping us towards our ultimate aim as a club that enables visitors to enjoy our beaches safely by providing highly trained lifeguards to the RNLI's local lifeguard service.

“This equipment will be invaluable in helping us carry out the vital work we undertake training lifeguards for the RNLI at Friar’s Cliff & the local beaches at Christchurch. The busy summer season sees a huge increase in tourists to the area, making lifeguard patrols more important than ever."

Bryan Taylor, Saxon Square Shopping Centre manager, said: “We are so pleased to have been able to help a group that makes such a difference in the local area. The volunteers at Christchurch Life Saving Club are really worthy recipients, and we hope that our donation can help them continue to provide this vital service to the community.”