THE RNLI has apologised for a ‘shameful’ and ‘offensive’ internet video made by their Poole lifeguards.

The nine-minute YouTube film shows young lifesavers simulating sex acts, making homophobic slurs, impersonating Adolf Hitler and insulting ginger people.

‘Lifeguards Awesome’ is shot at Sandbanks beach, one of the busiest of the charity patrols, and shows a bare-bottomed male lifeguard pretending to have sex with a buoyancy aid and another in a blonde wig mimicking a sex act on a colleague.

Dressed in the distinctive red and yellow RNLI uniforms, the 18-strong team taped themselves messing around in the lifeguard station, clambering on patrol cars and mocking RNLI safety rules.

In one ‘Sesame Street’-style clip, a lifeguard uses the charity’s SAFE motto to give sex education and contraception advice.

“E is for Emergency. Always have an escape plan. Worst comes to worst, punch her in the stomach, chuck her down the stairs,” he says.

They spoof a series of TV shows. In their version of Top Gear, a Speedo-clad lifeguard is mocked for his ginger hair and alleged sexuality and a female lifeguard swears in pretend weather forecasts.

You’ve Been Framed, David Attenborough documentary Animal Planet and Baywatch are also spoofed.

The film ends with three men dressed only in red Speedos recreating Beyonce’s Single Ladies dance, under the heading “Beyondgay”.

And in a nod to Hollywood comedy Anchorman, they sign off: “Stay classy Poole Bay.”

The RNLI yesterday issued an unreserved apology and asked for the video to be removed.

Spencer Gammond, RNLI head of communications, said: “We are extremely dismayed by the offensive content of this video and apologise unreservedly to anyone who has seen it.

“We are carrying out a thorough investigation and will take disciplinary action against those who have used RNLI resources inappropriately and shown such disregard for the public, our supporters and our charity's good name.”

A very small minority of their 900 lifeguards carried out this shameful behaviour, he added, and firm steps would be taken to stop it recurring.

So far, the RNLI has not identified anyone in the video still working as a lifeguard for them. A Borough of Poole spokesman said: “The council is very disappointed to learn of the deeply offensive content of this video and hope that the thoughtless actions of a minority will not harm the good name of Poole’s beaches or the RNLI.”