A SCHEME aiming to keep children safe at Barry Island is now in operation.

Families visiting Whitmore Bay are being encouraged to make use of the wristband scheme operated by RNLI lifeguards and HM Coastguards in partnership with Barry Neighbourhood Policing Team.

The scheme is aimed at reuniting lost children with their parents.

PCSO Wayne Chant said: “During the recent spell of warm, sunny weather there have been reports of up to 15 missing children each day, our partnership working with RNLI lifeguards and HM Coastguards has assisted in reuniting the children with their parents or guardians.”

PCSO Chant added: “We urge parents to take advantage of the wristbands when they come down to Barry Island. The wristbands don’t stop children wandering off of course, but what they do is ease that horrible dread which comes when you realise that your child is nowhere in sight.

“We do refer to these incidents as lost children but, because we have found the child, what we are actually dealing with is missing parents or guardians so if the child has a wristband on we can reunite them fairly quickly.”

The brightly coloured paper wristbands are easily attached to a child’s wrist and have space for parents to write their mobile phone number on.