Young Channel Islanders offered free sea safety sessions

The sessions are open to all Year 5 children across the islands, with sessions already taking place at Rozel beach and Pembroke Bay. Credit: ITV Channel

Free swimming sessions are teaching children in the Channel Islands how to swim safely in the sea.

All Year 5 pupils in Jersey and Guernsey are being offered the outdoor sessions as part of the Swim Safe campaign.

Swim Safe is a national campaign run partly by Swim England and the RNLI.

It aims to teach young people how to stay safe in and around open water, be wary of the dangers of sea swimming, and how to enjoy swimming outdoors.

The Swim Safe programme also gets children used to their local swimming spots to encourage them to swim outdoors Credit: ITV Channel

In Jersey, the scheme is being run by Jersey Sport and the Bosdet Foundation.

Year 5 pupils from St Martins were recently at Rozel Beach to learn their sea safety skills

Jersey Sport's Swimming Officer Martine Le Guilcher explained: "Living on an island, we're surrounded by water, so kids can access the sea all the time.

"But if it's not accessed properly, it could be dangerous, so we want to give them the skills and the knowledge to swim without having to worry."

Guernsey children are learning their sea safety skills at Pembroke, where a floating sea platform was recently installed to promote safety. Credit: ITV Channel

Guernsey schoolchildren have been taking their sea swimming lessons at Pembroke Bay.

Guernsey Sports Commission's Steve Sharman said: "It's an introduction for these children to the wonderful environment that has to offer, which is the sea.

"There are issues around intergenerational families where they have never come to the beach.

"So It's important not only for the experience to be out in the natural world and understand the risk assessments."

Last month, Guernsey Sports Commission helped to install a new swimming platform at Pembroke to encourage safer swimming practices.

Steve said it would "promote safe and enjoyable sea swimming for all ages".

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