Safety patrols are to begin on one of Falmouth's beaches following increasing concerns for beachgoers.

Volunteers with Gyllyngvase Surf Live Saving Club have set up a rota that will see them visiting Gyllyngvase to speak with people and warn them not to enter the water where it is dangerous.

A number of rescues have already been carried out by off-duty lifeguards and club members in recent days at the beach, as well as at Swanpool and Maenporth, as people became caught in a rip current currently being caused by strong easterly winds.

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Following guidance from Surf Life Saving GB, at present the volunteers will not be able to carry out rescues but will educate people on the dangers and be close at hand to contact emergency services if necessary.

It is hoped however that the the club, run by chairman Simon Thomason, can soon be stepped up to a full lifeguard service.

The patrols officially begin as of Monday, although some members will be at beaches this weekend keeping an eye out during the sunny weather.

While they will initially focus on Gyllyngvase, the hope is to eventually extend them towards Swanpool and Maenporth depending on the level of volunteers and safety advice in the future.

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They are being organised by former club captain and trained RNLI lifeguard Olivia Holmes, who said: "We're aiming to put on level one patrols, which will currently just be sitting on the beach giving safety advice to people and passing on those safety messages, providing surveillance for the coastguard.

"The hope is to up that to level four cover, which is a full lifeguard service, depending on what happens with Covid advice and from SLS GB."

Currently around 20 volunteers, many of which are ex-lifeguards, have signed up and Olivia is hoping more will join so that cover can be there for all the hours there would normally be RNLI lifeguard cover.

The RNLI's chief executive Mark Dowie said this week that the charity was in "an impossible situation" and that it was having to find the best way to carry out in-water rescues and give first aid – normally conducted at close quarters and often with people coughing up water - while maintaining safety to the lifeguards.

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Lifeguards are due to return to seven of Cornwall's beaches from this weekend: Gwithian, Perranporth, Fistral, Mawgan Porth, Polzeath, Constantine Bay and Widemouth.

Anyone who sees someone in trouble on the coast should continue to call 999 and ask for the coastguard.