More than 100 Newquay beach rescues over weekend

Newquay RNLI said it was its busiest weekend of the year so far

Lifeguards in Newquay saved three lives and performed more than 100 rescues over the weekend, according to the RNLI.

The service said Watergate Bay was the busiest beach in the area, with lifeguards performing more than 50 rescues across the weekend in "challenging conditions".

Other rescue services across the region also reported high numbers of incidents, with Falmouth Coastguard responding to 36 incidents on Sunday, while Hope Cove Lifeboat in south Devon rescued 20 people the same day.

Lewis Timson, lead lifeguard supervisor for Newquay RNLI, thanked his team for their "hard work" during the "busiest weekend of the summer so far".

Newquay hosted the annual Boardmasters surfing and music festival this weekend, with a record 58,000 people attending.

Newquay RNLI said its lifeguards saved three people's lives on Friday after they were swept out to sea by the rough conditions at Watergate Bay.

As well as incidents at Watergate Bay, Newquay lifeguards rescued nearly 50 people at Porth and Fistral beaches, including two major first aid incidents.

Mr Timson said the rescues were "testament to the training the lifeguards undergo before and during the season which allows us to provide the first-class lifesaving service that we do".

The service said people should head to a lifeguarded beach between 10:00 and 18:00 BST and follow their Float to Live guidance if they get into trouble in the water.

In a social media post on Sunday, Hope Cove Lifeboat, an independent lifeboat covering Bigbury Bay, said it had rescued 20 people that day.

It said despite pleasant conditions on the beach, winds had reached 30mph (48km/h) "just a few metres off shore".

"No matter how fit and strong you are you can’t fight a 30mph wind. It will push you out to sea," the service said.