Coastguard warning coastal safety

Wrap up warm – The sea breeze will make the temperature feel even colder than it actually is.

Wear appropriate foot wear – Sturdy walking boots or good quality outdoor shoes should be worn. Trainers, flip flops, smart leather shoes have all been spotted by Coastguards in recent days being worn by people slipping and sliding along narrow cliff top paths. This type of footwear is not appropriate for a cliff top walk.

Do not run on cliff top paths – we understand that people like to get out and enjoy the outdoors and keep fit but, the cliff top chalk paths are less than a metre from the edge of the cliff in places and they are very slippery.

Make sure you have a good phone signal – Some areas have poor or non-existent mobile phone coverage. By staying in areas that have a good phone signal, if the worst happens you will at least be able to call for help. Make sure your mobile is fully charged before you set out. Remember to tell someone where you are going and what time you'll be back.

Keep dogs on a lead. If your dog picks up the scent of another animal or it hears something on the coast below they normally don’t hesitate to follow their nose and go over a cliff. If your dog does fall down a cliff or starts getting swept out to sea, please do not attempt to rescue it yourself. Nine times out of ten your dog will rescue itself and return to shore alive, but tragically some owners do not.”

Check the tides and weather forecast before going out.

Coastguard issues warning over coastal safety

8 January 2017

The coastguard service is warning people to take precautions when around the coast in cold weather and icy conditions.

Matt Pavitt, an operations commander for UK Coastguard, said people have become injured, lost and cold because they have been poorly prepared.

He said: “It’s essential to remember to wrap up warm, wear sturdy footwear, stay away from cliff edges and keep your dogs on a lead.

He added: “It’s easy to get caught up in enjoying time on the beach or exploring coastal areas but make sure you keep a careful eye on the sea which can easily catch out even people with extensive knowledge of tides.”