Lifeguards expecting 'exceptionally busy' summer

Lifeguards have been training in preparation for what is expected to be a busy summer

Lifeguards are expecting an "exceptionally busy" few months with more people expected to stay in the UK for their summer holiday this year.

From this weekend until September, the beaches at Burnham-on-Sea and Berrow in Somerset will be patrolled daily.

The lifeguards have been undergoing medical training, fitness tests and focusing on how to prevent incidents.

"Staycations are going to be absolutely massive in this country this year," said RNLI lead supervisor Luke Penman.

"On the Whitsun bank holiday we had lovely weather and we had about 2,000 people here, which is double the amount of people that we would normally expect on a good day.

"We're expecting it to be exceptionally busy."

RNLI lead supervisor Luke Penman said lifeguards would be speaking to beachgoers to help educate them about keeping safe

Two lifeguards will be on patrol at Burnham-on-Sea and Berrow between 10:00 - 18:00 BST every day until September.

This will be Megan Rundle's first season as a lifeguard.

"I was a little bit nervous to begin with, but it's mainly excitement really," she said

"My dad is a volunteer crewman with the RNLI and he's been doing that for several years now, even before I was born, so I chose this job to follow in his footsteps."

Megan Rundle and Harry Chick are part of the lifeguard team at Burnham-on-Sea

People getting stuck in the soft sand and mud is one of the biggest issues facing the Burnham lifeguards.

"It's our job to help get them out and try to make sure they don't get in that situation in the first place," said Harry Chick.

Over the last three years there have been 80 incidents of people requiring help from Burnham's lifeguards.