Barry Island has seen a surge in visitors, making Whitmore Bay the busiest beach in south-east Wales.

Transport for Wales reported that more than 100,000 people took the train to Barry Island in July and August 2024.

This is a sharp increase from the 57,000 visitors during the same period last year.

The influx of visitors has led to Whitmore Bay becoming the busiest beach patrolled by RNLI lifeguards in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The increased footfall has also resulted in a higher number of incidents requiring assistance from the South East Wales RNLI lifeguards.

Matt Childs, RNLI lifeguard supervisor, said: "Whitmore Bay has been incredibly busy this season, and our lifeguards have yet again done an amazing job keeping people safe.

"But with an increase in visitor numbers comes more incidents requiring lifeguard intervention.

"For example, anecdotally, we know that on a busy day the team will deal with 40-50 missing children alone, a huge amount of work for the four lifeguards managing every aspect of beach safety for several thousand people."

With the arrival of winter, the RNLI is urging those planning seaside visits to heed their safety advice.

The colder months bring stronger winds, larger waves, and lower temperatures, which increase the danger of coastal trips.

The RNLI advises against swimming alone, encourages checking weather conditions, and recommends always carrying a means of contact.

They also warn of the increased risk of cold-water shock as temperatures drop.

Finally, the RNLI stresses that rip currents are a significant risk at this time of year.

Andy Gavan, coxswain at Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station, said: "Our volunteer lifeboat crews are on call 24/7, regardless of the weather or time of year.

"If you get into trouble or see anybody else in difficulty, don’t hesitate to call 999 and the Coastguard will dispatch the nearest lifeboat to help."