RESIDENTS are being warned of the dangers of Wirral's coastline as temperatures continue to soar.

So far this year RNLI Hoylake's Hovercraft and Shannon Class Lifeboat RNLB have dealt with 21 incidents and a lot of these launches are due to people who have become stuck on sandbanks across Wirral's coastline.

Around 190 people lose their lives on the coasts of UK and Ireland each year but RNLI's 'Respect the Water' campaign is calling on the public to help save more lives during this busy period by sharing key survival skills.

Figures from last July and August show that in the north of England crews launched lifeboats in response to 321 emergencies nearly one-third of their total call outs for the year.

RNLI lifeguards in the region responded to 2,046 incidents on beaches during this period - 79% of their total annual incidents.

Hovercraft crew commander, James Whiteley, said: "It’s great that so many people are choosing to spend time at the coast this summer and as RNLI volunteers, we are here to help keep them safe in and around the water.

"We advise members of the public to respect the water; making themselves aware of the daily tide timetables, as well as any other potential risks they may encounter whilst enjoying the coastline and all it has to offer.”

Top tips being issued:

  • If you see someone else in danger in the water, fight your instincts to go in after them and call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
  • If you fall into cold water fight your instincts to swim hard and thrash about. Float for 60–90 seconds until the effects of cold water shock pass and you can catch your breath before then swimming to safety or calling for help.
  • Anyone planning a trip to the beach is advised by the RNLI to choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards.

The RNLI is asking people to visit RNLI.org/RespectTheWater where they will find safety advice.