AS school summer holidays come to an end, patrols on some RNLI lifeguarded beaches will finish this Sunday, September 6.

Members of the public are being urged by the charity to take extra care and be responsible when visiting the beach by knowing their limits and not taking risks.

Despite the coronavirus situation and the challenges posed by lockdown restrictions earlier in the year, the RNLI has worked with local authorities and other partners to provide lifeguards on 177 beaches across the UK this summer.

RNLI lifeguards have adapted to new protocols this season because of the pandemic to protect themselves and the public from the virus.

This has included wearing PPE, enhanced cleaning of equipment and maintaining a two metre distance from others while carrying out their role.

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Eleven beaches in Wales will lower their flags and pack their equipment away for the final time at 6pm on Sunday in what has been a very busy season for RNLI lifeguards, as more people holidayed at home this summer and visited Welsh beaches.

In Wales, beach visitor numbers soared to the highest seen in over a decade in some parts of the country.

RNLI Water Safety Lead for Wales, Chris Cousens said: ‘It has been an extremely busy summer for RNLI lifeguards with huge numbers of people visiting beaches in the UK.

"Our lifeguards have worked really hard and done a fantastic job of keeping people safe at the beach while working in a pandemic.

"They deserve great credit for the commitment and dedication they have shown.

"The majority of our lifeguards’ work is preventative so as well as the rescues and incidents they were involved in, they will have stopped many more potentially dangerous incidents before they occurred."

He added: "We know many people are still on furlough and not holidaying abroad, so it’s likely more people than usual will be visiting the UK coast this September.

"If you’re visiting the beach, take note of the safety signage at the entrance, go with a friend or tell someone on the shore where you’re going, and always be aware of the conditions and your own capabilities in the water.

‘People walking on the coast should check the weather forecast and tide times before setting out and carry a means of communication."

RNLI lifeboat crews have been operating throughout the pandemic and continue to be on call 24/7 ready to respond to emergencies when their pager goes off.

For details of which beaches have RNLI lifeguard patrols in September and October, go to RNLI.org/find-my-nearest