Boscombe beach festival for new Bournemouth lifeguards

A beach festival has been held in Dorset for a group of newly qualified volunteer lifeguards.

Eleven people from the Bournemouth area have passed an intensive training scheme to become lifeguards.

Their training was part of the borough council's Life's A Beach scheme, funded by £2,000 from the Swiss Embassy.

The family festival, including DJs and sports taster sessions, was held on Boscombe beach to celebrate the new volunteers' success.

Matt Lloyd, Bournemouth Borough Council's coastal recreation officer, said: "I'd like to congratulate the young people who took part in this training - it's fantastic that this scheme has allowed them to become fully qualified as lifeguards."

The Swiss Embassy in London funded the training as part of its Swiss Award skills bursary scheme.