RNLI lifeguards will finish their daily safety service on the beaches of Pembrokeshire this weekend.

Lifeguards will lower the flags and pack their equipment away for the final time on Sunday (September 4) at Amroth, Saundersfoot, Tenby North, Tenby South, Tenby Castle, Freshwater West, Broad Haven, Nolton Haven, Newgale, Newport and Poppit Sands beaches.

Safety patrols on Pendine and Pembrey beaches in Carmarthenshire will also finish on Sunday.

Lifeguards will continue providing a safety service between 10am and 6pm on weekends only on Whitesands beach in St Davids until Sunday September 25.

There have been good numbers of visitors to the area’s beaches during the summer meaning a busy few months for the RNLI lifeguard team, which is provided in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council.

As well as a number of water rescues, the lifeguards also dealt with a high number of first aid incidents and provided safety advice and assistance to thousands of beachgoers.

Incidents responded to by RNLI lifeguards in the county this season included the treatment of a woman drifting in and out of consciousness while suffering a severe anaphylactic shock on Amroth and the rescue of three children and a woman from a rip current in the sea at Nolton.

RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Chris Rigby said: "I would like to thank all the lifeguards who once again provided a first class safety service on the county’s beaches this summer.

"They have shown commitment and dedication to both their ongoing training and their work on the beaches.

"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.

"After Sunday there will be no red and yellow flags flying at these beaches, which means there’s no lifeguard service operating.

"People visiting the beaches after this can help keep themselves safe by taking note of the safety signage at the entrance to the beach, going with a friend or telling someone on the shore where they are going, and always being aware of the conditions and their own capabilities in the water."

Phil Davies, RNLI Lifeguard Manager, added: "Autumn sees big spring tides and bigger swell around the coast. People walking on the coast should always check the tide times before setting out and carry a means of communication. The bigger swells mean more unpredictable rip currents in the water so people should take extra care. Anyone in difficulty in the water should try not to panic or fight against any currents, hold onto anything buoyant they have, call for help and raise their hand to attract attention and try to keep their head above water.

"The RNLI’s advice is not to enter the water if you see someone in trouble but rather to call 999 and ask for the coastguard."

Councillor Elwyn Morse, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said: "With beach safety so much in the news recently with some tragic accidents elsewhere, I would like to pay tribute to the marvellous work the RNLI lifeguards carry out on our beaches.

"They have been a reassuring presence throughout the summer season and, as the local authority, we look forward to working with the RNLI again next year."

A host of information and advice on various aspects of water safety is available at http://rnli.org/safety/respect-the-water.