VISITORS to North Wales' beaches are being urged to stay safe as some RNLI lifeguard patrols came to an end for the year on Sunday.

As the school summer holidays end, so too do the patrols in Rhyl and Prestatyn.

And, whilst the RNLI is still providing a lifeguard service on 18 beaches across Wales, members of the public are being urged by the charity to take extra care and be responsible when visiting the beach by knowing their limits and not taking risks.

If intending to use the water, people are encouraged to head to one of the 18 lifeguarded beaches in Wales but to maintain social distancing and if that’s not possible, consider spending your day elsewhere.

RNLI lifeguards have had to adapt to new protocols, because of the Coronavirus pandemic, to protect themselves and the public. This has included wearing PPE, enhanced cleaning of equipment and maintaining a two metre distance from others while carrying out their role.

In Wales, beach visitor numbers soared to the highest seen in over a decade in some parts of the country.

Chris Cousens, RNLI Water Safety Lead for Wales, said: "It has been an extremely busy summer for RNLI lifeguards with huge numbers of people visiting beaches in the UK. Our lifeguards have worked really hard and done a fantastic job of keeping people safe at the beach while working in a pandemic. They deserve great credit for the commitment and dedication they have shown.

"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.

"We know many people are still on furlough and not holidaying abroad, so it’s likely more people than usual will be visiting the UK coast this September. If you’re visiting the beach, take note of the safety signage at the entrance, go with a friend or tell someone on the shore where you’re going, and always be aware of the conditions and your own capabilities in the water.

"People walking on the coast should check the weather forecast and tide times before setting out and carry a means of communication."

RNLI lifeboat crews have been operating tFor details of which beaches have RNLI lifeguard patrols in September and October, go to RNLI.org/find-my-nearest