A WRISTBAND scheme is being rolled out across a popular beach in the UK in time for the summer.
Bournemouth Beach will be handing out the free paper bands under the new KidZone scheme.
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The bands will be found at seafront offices and RNLI lifeguard towers.
Teaming up with the BCP Council and LV=insurance, parents will be able to write their phone numbers and location on the bands.
This means lifeguards will easily be able to reunite kids if they get lost from their family.
Not only that, but different zones have different coloured bands to easily spot if they have been separated.
Anyone who spots a missing child can contact a BCP council ranger, wearing a bright pink t-shirt, or a lifeguard or LV=KidZone team member.
It it also being rolled out across Poole and Christchurch until September 1.
RNLI lifeguard said Kester Sheppard said: “We know how easy it is for young children to become separated from their families while on a day out at the seaside.
“These wristbands allow us to reunite worried parents or carers with their little ones quickly and ensure that everyone makes it home safely and happily from our brilliant beaches this summer.”
The scheme runs from Alum Chine to Fisherman’s Walk in Bournemouth, as well as Southbourne.
In Christchurch, Highcliffe, Friars Cliff and Avon are included along with Sandbanks, Shore Road and Branksome Chine in Poole.
The scheme first started in 2007, and was used to help more than 100 kids last summer.
More than one million wristbands have been given out since it started, and overall reunited more than 3,200 kids.
No other beaches have a similar scheme, with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch the only ones in the UK.
However, Bournemouth is one of the biggest UK beaches after Chesil Beach in Dorset.
And parents have backed the scheme too.
One wrote on Tripadvisor: “The British seaside at it’s best. We liked the idea of the wrist bands for kiddies.”
Another said: “Lifeguard stations in place and proactive staff. Even give our wristbands for your kids to wear with an emergency number. Really great, and could not fault it.”
A third added: “Our grand children were given waterproof wristbands with our telephone number in case they got lost, we though this was a brilliant idea as the beach was packed with people.”
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