RNLI lifeguards have passed on some important water safety advice to children ahead of the summer season.

Pupils at Saint Felix School near Southwold received safety awareness advice earlier this week during a visit from RNLI lifeguards, Arna and Clarissa.

Saint Felix pupils from as young as three to Prep and Senior year students were taken through some top tips on safety awareness, prevention and action to take if they saw others in difficulty in the water or if they found themselves in trouble in open water.

The RNLI beach lifeguards - who patrol Southwold, Lowestoft, Gorleston and Great Yarmouth beaches - used standard lifesaving equipment such as safety rings, throwbags and floats for demonstrations while going through the different types of flags used on the beaches.

With Southwold and Lowestoft beaches set to each have an RNLI lifeguards hut open from next Saturday, May 28, all beaches will remain operational until the final day of the season on September 11.

With pupils at Saint Felix taught to swim as part of their normal school activities, James Harrison, headteacher, said: “Saint Felix enjoys close ties with the RNLI due its proximity to the seaside community of Southwold.

"We welcome the talks which give vital safety tips as well as inspiration to our pupils for further training and volunteering opportunities.”

Bridget Every, head of learning support, said: “With half term approaching it seemed a perfect time to invite the RNLI to come in to give some water safety advice to some of our students.

"These talks haven’t been able to take place in schools over the past two years due to Covid, so it was important to ask the RNLI to come in and give advice to our students so they can enjoy our stunning surrounding waterways and beaches but be mindful of the dangers that open water can present."