A WAVE of anger has greeted news that Weymouth’s swimming rafts are under threat over safety fears.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is considering a risk assessment report before deciding whether to return the rafts to the sea close to the beach at Greenhill this summer.

Beach chalet owners at Greenhill argue the rafts are popular with locals and visitors and that they help to encourage beach users to swim more.

Shaun Smith and his family use his friend’s chalet and he has used the rafts since he was a child.

Mr Smith, 41, said: “It would be bad news if they take them away.

“Health and safety seems a bit silly as there’s water all around them and what’s changed over the last however many years?

“We’ve all swam on it for years and we are all alright.”

The rafts were not a feature of Weymouth Bay in 2000 due to council fears that a swimmer could get into trouble trying to reach them.

But they were brought back in 2001 after a public outcry led to a 1,200-strong petition.

Mr Smith’s friend, Adrian Butterworth, 42, visits every year from Christchurch so his children can use the rafts.

He said: “ I lived here for 20 years and now come down every summer.

“I look forward to swimming to the rafts and so do my two children. I’ll be staying up there and using Mudeford beach instead.”

All Saints schoolboy Daniel Wallis, 12, said: “We all enjoy them and have fun on them.

“It would be another thing we would all miss.

“But the lifeguards always circle them to make sure everybody is OK.”

Laura Boyall, 11, who goes to Southill Primary School, said: “It’s easy to swim up to them and have a good time rather than stay in the shallow water. And it helps our swimming.”

Sue Bray, chairman of the Greenhill chalet users’ community group, said: “I think Weymouth residents would be absolutely devastated because if you live here that’s the area where you swim.

“Residents along there are going to go mad if they think about taking them away again.

Councillor Joy Stanley has a chalet and said the rafts are a historical part of Weymouth. She said: “People really look forward to having them and make a point of swimming to them.

“We talk these days of getting healthy and if there’s an object in the sea to swim to it makes you swim more.

Since 2001 the rafts have been available every July and August with lifeguard supervision between 10am and 6pm.

Members of the council’s harbour management board were due to meet today to make a decision.

General manager for facilities and business operations, Helen Frances, said: “Councillors will carefully consider all the risks and benefits regarding the swimming rafts.

“We know they are hugely popular with visitors and residents alike but members need to measure that against the potential risks and ensure we have done all we can to minimise any potential dangers.

“Only then can they reach a decision.”