A COASTWATCH lookout station that was brought back into use this summer will be operational seven days a week from early January.

Since opening in August, the refurbished hut at Hengistbury Head is used by nearly 40 qualified watchkeepers from the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) and around 30 trainees.

The station, which is located on top of Warren Hill, is currently operational six days a week, but from January 7 it will be manned seven days a week.

Praising volunteers at Hengistbury Head, the NCI said the team had come “a long way in a short period of time”.

“When NCI Hengistbury Head first opened for business in March 2018 there were only five qualified watchkeepers and four trainees, supported by a number of watchkeepers ‘on loan’ from neighbouring stations.

“This enabled them to operate two days a week from a temporary home in a shared seafront beach office. By August 10 this year, when the newly-refurbished lookout opened on the top of Hengistbury Head, the team had grown to sixteen homegrown qualified watchkeepers, supported by four on loan watchkeepers and 28 trainees, allowing the station to open three days per week.

“Now, less than nine months after opening, Hengistbury Head has tipped the balance by having more qualified watchkeepers than trainees.

“Hengistbury Head have already come a long way in a short period of time and December 1 saw 16 watchkeepers and trainees undertake a VHF radio course, with another NCI training course taking place early in January for the latest influx of volunteers.

“It has been an exciting and successful year for NCI Hengistbury Head and everyone involved with the station is looking forward to building on those successes and adding to the list of achievements throughout 2019.”

When the station re-opened, acting station manager Brian Roberts said it provided the “ideal spot to keep watch on the whole horizon from Barton-on-Sea in the east, through Christchurch and Poole Bay, and 12 miles out to sea round Bournemouth Pier in the west”.

It bridges the gap between existing stations at the Needles on the Isle of Wight and Swanage.

Watchkeeping involves maintaining a visual, radio and radar watch and reporting emergencies to the coastguard.

Volunteers can then advise rescue authorities of a casualty’s exact position and the conditions on scene.