Dorset summer lifeguard patrols finish

RNLI lifeguards patrolled a total of 21 beaches in Dorset during the summer

Lifeguards have finished their summer patrols at beaches across Dorset.

The seasonal RNLI patrols have come to an end in West Bay in Lyme Regis, Greenhill in Weymouth, Canford Cliffs in Poole and East Cliff in Bournemouth.

Lifeguards will continue to patrol some beaches in Bournemouth and Weymouth until 2 October, a spokeswoman said.

Boscombe East, where the problematic artificial surf reef has been built, is covered by RNLI lifeguards all year round.

Patrol season dates are staggered to take into account the number of visitors.

The charity said, during the season, its patrols had dealt with everything from major first aid to finding missing children.

In one incident in Lyme Regis, senior lifeguard Sarah Sedcole swam 400m out to sea to help a kayaker in difficulty 200m west of the Cobb wall on Monmouth beach.

She swam him back to the shore while a volunteer lifeboat crew retrieved the kayak.