Blackpool lifeboats called out nine times in four days

Lifeboats have been called to help swimmers and people blown out to sea on inflatables off Blackpool nine times in four days, the RNLI has said.

The charity said it dealt with a "high" number of calls from the Lancashire resort between Friday and Monday.

The RNLI's Steve Fitzgerald said most were in the afternoon or evening.

He said "luckily, on these occasions, there was no loss of life", but the calls were "a timely reminder of the potential dangers of the coast".

The rescues saw crews go to the aid of a person near the resort's Central Pier and young people in difficulty at Red Bank Road and near North Pier.

Two children were also given medical support at the RNLI's boathouse and two lifeboats were launched to help two people who drifted out to sea in an inflatable kayak.

The people made it back to shore before the crews arrived, but the kayak was found drifting about 0.75 miles (1.2km) out to sea.

Mr Fitzgerald said crews were also called to reports of a male jumping off North Pier, who was later was found safe and well on beach, and reports of an inflatable with two people on board south of South Pier.

He said the resort's beaches had been busy because of the recent hot weather and the charity had also seen five callouts in the previous weekend, so people needed to take care in the sea.

"Inflatables are for swimming pools, rather than the beach, where they can easily be blown out to sea," he said.

"By all means, come to Blackpool and enjoy the beach, but please take some responsibility and enjoy the water's edge."

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