RNLI lifeguards set to return to Redcar and Saltburn come rain or shine

The charity’s lifeguards will be on hand during the May half-term holiday between 10am and 6pm to ensure daily visitor safety.

Following the school holidays, a daily service will continue to operate on Saltburn beach until 4 September.

Weekend-only lifeguard patrols will operate at Redcar beach until 23 July, after which a seven-day-a-week service will commence until 4 September.

95% of the role is preventative and the teams have completed a  period of extensive training. This ensures that every RNLI lifeguard has the vital skill-set to enable them to deal with everything from locating missing children through to performing major first-aid and lifesaving rescues.

RNLI Lifeguard Manager, David Brant, said: ‘Following a comprehensive training programme our charity’s lifeguards are in peak mental and physical condition and they’re really looking forward to returning to their posts.

‘We always advise people to visit a lifeguarded beach where patrols will be on-hand to offer friendly safety advice such as always to swim between the red and yellow flags and information on tide times.

‘It’s great to see visitors enjoying the coast safe in the knowledge that if they do get into difficulty we’ll be there to help. We hope that people will pop along to Saltburn or Redcar to say “hello” - come rain or shine we’ll be there.’

The RNLI runs the lifeguard service in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

Councillor Carl Quartermain, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Leisure, said: ‘Ensuring that our beaches are safe and accessible is extremely important to us, and engaging a professional Beach Lifeguarding operator like the RNLI provides peace of mind to our many visitors. 

‘Tourism is important to our economy, and the Borough attracts over 3 million visitors each year which generates an economic benefit of over £130 million.  I am delighted that the RNLI will be working with us over the coming months and I look forward to seeing our visitors enjoying the summer along our coastline.’

Notes to editors

* As RNLI lifeguards need to be physically on the beach during the patrolled hours, ready to respond to emergencies and prevent accidents, the RNLI can’t rely on volunteers to provide this cover seven days a week.

Local authorities part fund the RNLI’s costs, which helps to meet the cost of lifeguard wages.

Picture caption
The photograph shows an RNLI lifeguard on patrol. Credit: RNLI.

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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