Lifeguards keep swimmers safe at North Devon beaches

Visitors to our holiday cottages in Ilfracombe can visit the beach, relax and swim in safety thanks to North Devon’s brilliant RNLI lifeguards. Every year the crews which police our beaches here in North Devon save dozens of people in difficulty and this year has been no different. While we obviously hope none of our guests have any need of the lifeguards’ assistance it is comforting to know they’re going to be kept safe when they leave Smythen Farm and head to the beach. The local paper here in North Devon has kept us up to date with what’s been going on at the beaches through its Rescue Watch column, where the RNLI detail what’s been going on lately. The most recent report has revealed how lifeguards at Woolacombe have carried out approximately 35 rescues and assisted 10 people in difficulty in the past month. Because the beach is extremely busy its important people pay attention to the flags lifeguards erect on the beach, showing where it’s safe to swim. The swimming safe area is marked by red-and-yellow flags while anyone body boarding or surfing can do so in confidence between the black-and-white checked flags. As well as revealing exactly how many people have been rescued from the water the latest column also showed how lifeguards have been fundraising following the death of friend and colleague Tom Pugsley, who passed away earlier this year. Around 30 lifeguards took part in a one-kilometre swim off Croyde, a three-kilometre run from Croyde to Putsborough and then a three-kilometre board paddle on a lifeguard rescue board to Woolacombe. Sounds exhausting! 22.8.14