With the October school half term upon us this, the RNLI is calling on anyone planning a visit to the beach to ensure they and their families are safe by choosing a lifeguarded one.

RNLI lifeguards will be providing safety cover on Praa Sands, Sennen, Porthmeor, Gwithian, Porthtowan, Perranporth, Watergate, Polzeath and Widemouth, in Cornwall, plus Croyde, Woolacombe, and Bantham in Devon during the school half term.

At Fistral Beach in Newquay RNLI lifeguards are on the beaches daily until the end of October and will continue to provide voluntary weekend patrols until the end of November.

At Summerleaze in Bude, RNLI lifeguards will run voluntary patrols with help from members of Bude Surf Lifesaving Club throughout half term and St Agnes Lifesaving Club will be running a voluntary patrol with support from the RNLI on Trevaunance Cove.

Coinciding with the school holiday, the charity have launched a safety leaflet with important information on how to identify and survive a rip current, the flag system used on UK beaches and the effects of cold water shock.

The safety leaflets will be placed in holiday parks, cottages, campsites and letting agents, with the aim of targeting people visiting the region on holiday and providing this important safety information before they hit the beach.

The lifeguards will be on duty on the selected beaches between 10am and 6pm until the clocks go back on Sunday October 30 when the operational hours will be reduced to 10am-5pm.