HAVE fun but stay safe on the Dorset coast this Easter weekend.

That’s the warning being issued by Portland coastguards after children got into difficulties at West Bay.

A coastguard spokesman said a concerned member of the public raised the alarm after spotting three children ‘dodging waves’ while on rocks in the area.

The spokesman said that when coastguards arrived it was clear that one of the children had been swept into the sea but had managed to drag himself out.

The children had also been collected by their parents by the time rescuers arrived.

Coastguards issued safety advice to the family about Chesil beach, warning that it shelves steeply and has a dangerous undertow.

Following the incident, Portland coastguards’ watch manager Philip Chappell said rescuers want beach and sea users to enjoy the coast safely over Easter. He said: “Parents particularly need to be aware of all the hazards of the sea, as it can be a very unforgiving place to be.

“The water may look rather calm from the beach but it can have some dangerous currents running beneath the surface.”

Mr Chappell warned that leisure inflatables can be particularly hazardous in open waters.

He also advised divers and sailors to check vessels and equipment thoroughly before taking to the seas again after the winter.

Mr Chappell said: “We do tend to get a lot of calls over Easter about vessels that haven’t been properly checked, because it’s one of the first opportunities some people have to get out onto the sea after the winter.”

He warned specifically that first aid kits, radios and boat engines should be thoroughly checked before taking to the seas. Mr Chappell also warned coastal walkers, particularly dog owners, about wearing appropriate footwear and keeping dogs on leads at all times.

He said: “In an area like Lulworth Cove, where there’s not a very good track, nine out of 10 of the call outs are for things like broken ankles.

“It’s often women not wearing appropriate footwear and it often means it becomes a helicopter job.

“While we of course respond to these calls, it does take resources away.

“The other problem can be taking the dear old doggy for a walk.

“They may see a rabbit, which disappears over the edge of a cliff, and they go over after it as well.”

Mr Chappell said coastguards are not obliged to respond to animal call-outs but that they often do to avoid subsequent human casualties.

He concluded: “We want people to enjoy the seaside over Easter – we just want them to use some common sense.”