COASTGUARDS called out to help swimmers and water sports enthusiasts over the Easter weekend have warned the public to take care over the rest of the school holiday.

They stressed that the water is still very cold at this time of year and urged those who get into difficulty not to swim against the tide.

A spokesman for Poole Coastguard said: "Over the bank holiday weekend, our coastguard rescue teams were called out to a number of calls around the coast, to help those in trouble in the water, from swimming to paddle sports like kayaking and paddleboarding.

Woman stuck in the mud up to her waist in Christchurch

"Please remember that the water is still cold at this time of year, especially with freezing conditions forecast this week.

"If in doubt, stay out. There’s always another day to go in the water. If you get into trouble, fight the instinct to panic and don’t try to swim against the tide. Raise your hand in the air, shout for help."