Flash rips sweep South West RNLI lifeguards had their busiest week of the year in early August 2005.

In just three days, they dealt with a staggering 368 incidents involving rip currents The peak of activity came on 8 August, when at one point lifeguards rescued 35 people at Perranporth, Cornwall. There were around 500 people in the sea when the flash rip current struck. It tore sand from under paddlers' and swimmers' feet so that they were suddenly out of their depth.

Andy Thomas, Beach Lifeguard Supervisor, recalled: There was a lot of panic in the water and people were calling for help as they were being swept out to sea.' Lifeguards from Perranporth and Perran Sands, along with some extra lifeguards training that day, headed out to sea. From the roof of the rescue vehicle at the water's edge, one lifeguard coordinated the work of the nine lifesavers in the water. They had to make split-second decisions about who was in most danger, rescue them and then come back for more. Lifeguard Dickon Berriman recalled: The situation quickly escalated with more and more people drifting out.

Lifeguards on paddleboards and rescue tubes helped keep everyone afloat and calm and the two inshore rescue boats and the rescue watercraft did several trips to shore.' Lifeguards took only five minutes for the mass rescue. They checked the casualties on the beach and all were unharmed. Proud of his fellow lifeguards, Andy commented: 'My team was able to use its training to ensure the rescue was carried out quickly and safely.

Had we not been there, there's no doubt that many people would have drowned.1 From 7-9 August, RNLI Lifeguards saved 17 lives when rips hit busy beaches all along the northern coast of Devon and Cornwall.

Incidents included: • Sudden and severe rip currents at Constantine caught several swimmers and body boarders off guard. Three lifeguards rescued 10 people.

• Porthtowan Lifeguard Jos Lawrence recalls: 'A strong rip started kicking up in the bathing area. A large group of people were taken out past the breaking waves.' Good teamwork from lifeguards in an inshore rescue boat and on a rescue board saved all 15.

• Lifeguards had just completed their day's work at Widemouth Bay when they rescued six youngsters in difficulties in a rip current.

Greg Spray, Area Lifeguard Manager (Carrick), explained why it was such a busy period: 'Rips can occur at any time but the beaches were packed, so a lot of people were caught out.

'At Perranporth on 8 August there were quite long lulls in between the waves, which encouraged people to be more adventurous.

The surf was about 1m and the tide surged in as well causing a large increase of water above sea level. This created a "flash" rip as the body of water rushed back seaward to find its own level, taking a sandbank out from under people's feet.' (Look out for the coverage of the mass rescue at Perranporth in Seaside Rescue on BBC ONE.).