Not all UK beaches will have lifeguards this summer

A water safety charity is asking families travelling to beaches to be extra careful.

Recent hot weather and the easing of lockdown rules has led to thousands of people going to the UK's coast.

But, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which usually supplies lifeguards to 240 beaches each summer - will only have lifeguards at 17 beaches across Britain this weekend.

Last weekend two people died at beaches in Cornwall, which prompted calls for lifeguards to return to work.

No official lifeguards will be on duty on beaches in Northern Ireland or Scotland, however at some beaches, volunteers are working to keep members of public safe.

Lifeguards are normally recruited and trained in the months before summer, but as the UK has gone into lockdown, this has been difficult.

Speaking to the BBC, Ross Macleod, RNLI water safety manager said: "There are 1,200 seasonal staff that we would normally be training up through March and April, which is when we were on lockdown."

Only 17 beaches will have lifeguards patrolling this weekend

The announcement comes after the RNLI wrote to the government asking politicians to restrict the access to beaches during the summer months.

Chief Executive, Mark Dowie said this has put the charity in an "impossible situation", forcing bosses to "choose between keeping the public or our lifeguards safe".

Despite the concerns caused by coronavirus and the need to make sure people are social distancing, the RNLI says it hopes to provide a lifeguard service at 70 of the beaches it normally would, in time for the busiest periods over summer.

It means that lifeguards and the help they provide might be a bit different this year.

Lifeguards will wear personal protective equipment (PPE), similar to ambulance crews, and in some situations, lifeguards may not deal with some minor first aid cases but will support people to treat themselves.

They will also try to keep socially distant from people on the beach and may ask people to keep apart.

Ross Macleod says the public should remember that "lifeguards can't be everywhere this summer".

"Without that ring of safety on some beaches where you may expect to find lifeguards normally, really think twice about coming at all and certainly about going into the water." He said.

"If you've got any doubts about your ability in the water or the conditions, we would advise you to stay out of the water and certainly not to take any unnecessary risks."