A LIFEGUARD came to the rescue of a swimmer in difficulty off a Wirral beach.

The RNLI lifeguard was in the sea training on his paddle board when he spotted a member of the public in distress.

On this occasion, on Saturday, July 20, the swimmer had ventured outside the red and yellow flagged area and was no longer safe. The lifeguard took the casualty back to safety on the paddle board and gave advice.

Fortunately, although the swimmer was outside the flagged area, they were on a lifeguarded beach, which meant a trained professional was on-hand to get them out of danger.

The RNLI encourages beach-goers to visit lifeguarded beaches and to only enter the water when the flags indicate that it is safe to do so.

The Wirral’s Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Ryan Jennings said: "Luckily on this occasion the swimmer was on a beach being patrolled by a lifeguard, and was quickly taken out of danger. By attending a lifeguarded beach, you can make sure that whilst you’re having fun, you’re also staying safe.

"The purpose of the RNLI Lifeguards is to advise, supervise and rescue people, in their effort to save lives at sea. The lifeguards update safety signs and flags on the beach throughout the day to respond to changing sea conditions, which are important to take note of when you visit the beach."

You can find your nearest RNLI lifeguarded beach here:

https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches