Vandals have damaged the beach lifeguard unit on Newgale beach, leaving costly damages for the RNLI charity that relies solely on voluntary donations.
The shutter door has been destroyed leaving the charity no option but to replace the entire unit. The damage was discovered on Tuesday (18 September).
RNLI Area Lifeguard Technician, Jestyn Martin, comments:
‘This incident is a huge inconvenience to us, particularly close to the end of a very successful season. We estimate the cost of repairs will be a few hundred pounds, which as a charity, is a significant amount.’
Last year in Pembrokeshire alone, RNLI lifeguards responded to 509 incidents and assisted 561 people.
Pembrokeshire County Council currently contributes towards the lifeguards wages, while the extensive training and equipment needed is provided by the RNLI. It costs the charity an average of £1,000 each year to train and equip each lifeguard.
