Parents are being warned to keep track of their children on the beach this summer.

August is the busiest month of the year for UK beaches and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has urged parents to keep a close eye on their children.

Coastguards around the UK co-ordinated 319 search and rescue operations, many involving missing children, on the first weekend of August.

The last missing child incident dealt with by Walton-based Thames Coastguards was just last week, but it was not in the Tendring district.

Coastguards were called to help find two missing children in the Southwold area and the youngsters were found after 30 minutes of searching.

A spokesman for Thames Coastguards said children act differently when they are lost depending on their age, with some staying close by while others can wander miles away.

Both Tendring Council and Thames Coastguards are working in partnership to keep children safe.

Tendring Council's wristband initiative tags youngsters in case they get lost.

It is proving successful in Clacton and is being used this year for the first time in Walton and Frinton.

Published Monday August 9, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette