Lifeguards to start patrolling beach where seven drowned

After the deaths of seven people on the beach at Camber Sands last summer, lifeguards will be patrolling there for the first time from this weekend.

It comes after Rother Council set aside £51,000 from its budget to pay for the cover.

They will also be on the beaches at Hastings, Thanet, and the Isle of Sheppey for the official start of the summer season.

But after last year's fatalities, how safe are our beaches? Across East Sussex there were a total of 17 fatalities at sea in 2016 - and seven in Kent. And across the whole region, the RNLI says it saved 107 lives.

Earlier we returned to the beach at Camber Sands and spoke to bathers about how confident they were about swimming in the sea after last year's tragedy:

Today the RNLI launched its new Sea Survival campaign advising people what to do if they fall into the sea, with the stark message: 'Fight your instincts, not the water.'

Here's Kevin Ashford: