A warning has been issued about the dangers of swimming in the sea during the winter.

It comes as the team at Littlestone RNLI launched the lifeboat after reports a swimmer was in difficulty close to the Lower Leas in Folkestone.

The crew sped to the stretch of water and carried out a shoreline search.

Dover lifeboat was also requested along with the rescue Helo163 UK Coastguard helicopter.

The search was extended from Lower Leas to Samphire Hoe, Dover, but after four hours searching, all teams were stood down.

The rescue mission took place Saturday, November 21.

Now, the RNLI has released a new safety advice video for anyone considering taking a dip in the sea during the colder months.

The charity says that since the beginning of the pandemic, 'huge numbers of people' took to the sea to try open water swimming for the first time.

A spokesman said: "Many of those swimmers have continued to swim as the water has dropped in temperature and seas have become more challenging.

"Although most open water swimmers enjoy themselves completely safely, the RNLI wants to stress the importance of taking extra care when sea swimming (or dipping) at his time of year."

The organisation's video is aimed primarily at people who are new to the activity, or who want to bob around in the sea for a while, rather than more experienced open water swimmers - although the advice applies to anyone entering cold water this winter.

It includes tips such as entering the water slowly, always checking the weather forecast, never swimming alone, wearing a wetsuit if you can and taking plenty of warm clothing for before and after your dip.

RNLI head of water safety Gareth Morrison said: "There are very well-documented physical and mental health benefits of swimming in the sea, but it can also be very dangerous if you are unaware or under-prepared.

"The purpose of this video is to help you enjoy it safely.

"We hope that people will share the video and the safety advice in it with their family, friends and swimming groups.

"Our volunteer lifeboat crews have dealt with a relatively high number of incidents since the end of the summer involving swimmers and dippers, so we are asking everyone to be aware of what they can do to keep themselves and others safe, and to respect the water.

"There are a number of things to help ensure you have an enjoyable and safe time in the water such as making sure someone is aware when and where you’re swimming (and swimming with others if that’s possible), staying in your depth and knowing how to warm up properly afterwards.

"That may sound obvious but is very important to avoid any delayed effects of the cold.

"We would also recommend checking with your doctor before trying winter swimming for the first time, especially if you have underlying health issues.

"If you’re not feeling up to it that day, please stay out of the water.

"The sea will still be there for another swim tomorrow - and the day after. If you or anyone else does get into trouble in or on the water please call 999 or 112 immediately and ask for the coastguard."

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