Harlyn Bay RNLI lifeguard quad bike stolen from beach

The quad bike is an important piece of kit used by lifeguards

A quad bike belonging to the RNLI and used by lifeguards has been stolen from its container on the beach.

Lifeguards arrived at Harlyn Bay near Padstow on Sunday morning to find the vehicle was missing.

Devon & Cornwall Police is appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Guy Botterill, RNLI regional lifeguard lead, said it is "a vital piece of lifesaving equipment and we are saddened that it has been stolen".

The charity said in a statement: "The ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) is used by the charity's lifeguards to launch and recover the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) which is used to get to people in trouble in surf or shallow water really quickly.

"The ATV is also used to respond to incidents on the beach, covering a large distance quickly."

Harlyn Bay near Padstow has daily lifeguard patrols

A substitute quad bike has been found, meaning lifeguard's ability to keep people safe on the beach has not been affected.

The beach is patrolled between 10:00 and 18:00 BST daily.

The police said the theft happened between 18:00 on Saturday and 09:00 BST on Sunday, and estimated the vehicle to be worth £1,500.

In April, the RNLI said on Facebook another of its quad bikes was stolen from a beach in St Ives.