AS the summer season comes to a close, this weekend marks the end of the RNLI lifeguards daily safety service on Barry Island.

Sunday, September 6 will be the last day the charity’s lifeguards will be on duty at Whitmore Bay as well as beaches across the Vale including Southerndown, Ogmore and Llantwit Major.

Despite a lack of consistent sunshine, there have been good numbers of visitors to the Vale’s beaches during the summer and the RNLI lifeguards have provided safety advice and assistance to thousands of beachgoers.

They have also been involved in a variety of rescues and incidents, from rescuing two teenagers drifting out in a rip current at Llantwit Major, to assisting a man who suffered burns near Whitmore Bay.

As well as a number of water rescues, the lifeguards also dealt with a high number of first aid incidents. They carry a range of first aid equipment, including oxygen, spinal boards, a defibrillator, drugs to treat a range of acute conditions, plastic airways, a burns kit and fracture straps.

RNLI Lifeguard Manager Stuart Thompson said: "I would like to thank all the lifeguards who once again provided a first class safety service on the county’s beaches this summer.

"They have shown commitment and dedication to both their ongoing training and their work on the beaches.

"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.

"From Sunday there will be no red and yellow flags flying at these beaches, which means there’s no lifeguard service operating.

"People visiting the beaches after this can help keep themselves safe by taking note of the safety signage at the entrance to the beach, going with a friend or telling someone on the shore where they are going, at the same time always being aware of the conditions and their own capabilities in the water."

Matt Horton, RNLI Senior Lifeguard Manager, added: "The next few weeks will see the autumn equinox and the big tides which accompany that so people walking on the coast should always check the tide times before setting out and carry a means of communication.

"Autumn and winter usually see bigger swells which mean more unpredictable rip currents in the water.

"Unfortunately we saw a number of incidents this year in Wales where people who went in to try and help others in the water and got into difficulty themselves.

"The RNLI’s advice is not to enter the water if you see someone in trouble but rather to call 999 and ask for the coastguard."

For a range of safety advice and information visit rnli.org.uk/safety.