WITH school summer holidays set to begin and heat wave continuing beach-goers are being urged to stay safe whilst enjoying the sunshine.

Last year, RNLI lifeguards responded to 14,523 incidents, helped 16,418 people and saved 115 lives on some of the UK’s busiest beaches.

In a bid to cut the number of rescues, the charity is urging people – particularly those planning to use the water – to put the safety of themselves and their families first by following five beach key safety tips: Swim at a lifeguarded beach, between the red and yellow flags.

Never use inflatables in strong winds or rough seas.

Check weather and tide times before you go.

If you get into trouble, stick your hand in the air and shout for help.

If you see someone else in trouble, tell a lifeguard. If you can’t see a lifeguard, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Pip Hare, RNLI Coastal Safety Manager, said: "With the school holidays about to start and the recent sunny weather, it’s likely people will want to make the most of it and head to the beach.

"The RNLI’s advice is to choose a life-guarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards.

"For anyone who can’t get to a life-guarded beach, there are some straightforward steps they can take to help keep themselves out of danger.

"They can find out about their chosen beach before they visit, check the weather and tide times, and follow the advice shown on safety signs at the beach entrance.

"By following this basic advice, we hope people will have a great time but stay safe as well.

"It’s also really important to protect yourself from the sun.

"We recommend people remember ‘slip, slap, slop – slip on a T-shirt, Slap on a hat and slop on some sun cream.

"Drinking plenty of fluid is also vital as the sun and wind can easily dehydrate you."

In an innovative approach to saving lives, the charity has created a free ‘beach finder’ mobile app to help people find their nearest life-guarded beach, see real-time weather information and even enter the RNLI's fun sandcastle competition from whichever beach they're on. The RNLI Beach Finder app can be downloaded from www.rnli.org/beach.