URGENT medical cover is missing from Margate’s award-winning main sands.

Area councillors Iris Johnston and John Watkins are demanding an immediate investigation into why the first-aid voluntary service is absent from the beach for the first time in many years.

They have offered to put some of their councillors’ community funds towards a donation to the Red Cross, St John Ambulance or Margate Ambulance Corps for volunteers to provide essential assistance.

Cllr Johnston said: "A purpose-built facility for first aid was installed underneath the cafe opposite the clocktower but so far this year it has remained unstaffed and empty.

"A busy holiday resort needs first aid cover, to deal with a range of ailments from the simple such as cuts and bruises to the more severe.

"The lack of cover was highlighted to me recently when a woman suffered an epileptic fit on the sands. Fortunately she was helped by visiting Red Cross volunteers who were at the beach for a volleyball competition. They cared for her until the ambulance arrived.

"The first aid post also used to report missing children or found children over the loudspeaker system to beach users. This was another vital service for the seaside."

The councillors are also urging people not take glass bottles and glasses onto the sands.

Cllr Johnston said: "Several years ago Margate seafront trader Terry Purser successfully campaigned for plastic glasses and containers only to be used on the beach in the interests of safety. We want this hugely sensible idea put back into practice and will press for the ban to be reinforced."

A spokesman for the district council said that charities find it difficult to find first aid volunteers to work at weekends in particular.

They stress that their beach lifeguards are qualified first aiders and an extra member has been added to the team this summer.