LIFEGUARDS have warned of the dangers posed to youngsters using inflatable dinghies.

They were speaking after an incident on the sands at Majuba beach in Redcar, east Cleveland, in which two boys were ordered to bring an inflatable back to shore.

They did as they were told, but then delivered a stream of abusive language to Redcar and Cleveland District Council's mobile patrol.

When their mother arrived, from a vantage point about 300 yards away, Paul Castle, the council's foreshore manager, explained the potential for danger.

Mr Castle said: "I was on mobile patrol and saw the two boys, probably ten years old, aboard the inflatable, probably 100 yards offshore.

"We used the Land Rover's loudspeaker to ask them to come ashore, but I am afraid when they did come in, we were greeted with a lot of swearing and abuse.

"When their mum arrived, she was not happy that we had called them in and said she was supervising them, but she was at least 300 yards away.

"When we explained just how dangerous the sea can be, she calmed down and apologised.

"At Saltburn, we have also had four recent occasions when we have warned children not to take their inflatables out.

"We want parents to be far more responsible. The ideal way of supervising is to walk along the shoreline with a rope attached to the dinghy.

"Parents must accept these dinghies are not toys, they have a real potential for danger, but getting the message across isn't easy."