Surf life-savers teach safety skills

The sun came out in time for the first beach education lesson of the term on Brighton Beach yesterday, where St Mary’s School pupil Hunter Dodds (9), of Milton, watched as waves washed away a ‘‘rip’’ he made in the sand during the session with the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club.

Pupils in years 4, 5 and 6 joined surf life-savers to learn water safety skills in a programme which would run at Brighton Beach Surf Club for about four more weeks. Lifeguards Gabby Trotter and Carina Donegan (both 19) said pupils enjoyed the activities, which included a take on charades with the theme of beach safety. The pupils then went on the beach and dug their own ‘‘rip’’ in the sand to help them to understand how rips worked.

Teacher Ellen Decaney said pupils of the Milton school often went to the beach with their families, so it was important they knew what to do to stay safe on the coast.