LIFEGUARDS will patrol a beach where six men drowned last summer.

At a meeting of Rother District Council, funds from the 2017/18 budget were allocated towards the introduction of a seasonal lifeguard service at Camber Sands.

The £51,000 will pay for lifeguards at the beach from the late May bank holiday until the end of the summer holidays.

Speaking after the full council meeting Cllr Sally-Ann Hart, a local member and portfolio holder for public realm, culture and tourism, said: "The tragedies last year at Camber Sands are very sad and our thoughts remain with the families of those who lost their lives. 

"The incidents were significant and unprecedented and we need to react to the changing circumstances affecting policy, particularly where public safety is concerned.

"As a council, we are determined to reduce the risk of such incidents where we can. We not only need to protect the visiting public, but also the economy and livelihoods of our coastal tourism businesses in Camber.

Last year the Argus revealed that Rother had received guidance from the RNLI to use lifeguards at the beach, in 2013.

More recently the RNLI had already been asked by the council to carry out a safety assessment of the beach following the first drowning incident in July 2016 - which was followed by another in which five friends from South London lost their lives - and the RNLI has since been working on a proposal for a lifeguard service.

Inquests into the drownings last year are awaited and Rother District Council will carefully consider the coroner's finding into the cause of these deaths and act on any recommendations the coroner might make.