It might seem a cushy number, hanging around on the beach waiting for something to happen. But the lifeguards at Redcar are highly trained and take their responsibilities to the bathing public very seriously.

THE sun is shining at Redcar. Yes, it does occasionally. It is one of those rare blistering hot summer days, where sea and sky look enticingly blue. The beach is packed with families, picnicking on the sands, paddling in the sea. On the promenade, coach loads of pensioners, faces turned to the sun, doze contentedly in the heat.

But any minute someone could get into difficulties, be swept out to sea on a lilo, or find an unexploded bomb, or get cut off by the tide...

Which is why, keeping an eye on them all are two young men in red shirts and yellow T shirts - the lifeguards.

Baywatch, it's not. Yet the teams at Redcar and Saltburn have their fair share of minor drama and prevent much more. Today on duty at Redcar are Dan Nichol, 18 and Ben Anderton 17, while Foreshore Manager Paul Castle takes a turn as beach supervisor.

Surf boards are propped up on the wall next to their caravan on Redcar's front. Both boys - highly qualified lifesavers - are mad keen surfers, here and abroad. Unfortunately, surfing while on duty is strictly forbidden, but they are used for rescue or to paddle round the crowds in the sea warning them of unseen dangers.

"Rocks are the worst," says Dan, "People see all the sand and don't realise there are rocks out there. We try to warn them but I think our biggest job is tending to badly cut feet."

On a routine day, their other major customers are lost children, bee sting victims and old ladies who slip and fall but who are delighted to find themselves being looked after by the lifeguards.

At least this has been a quiet summer for unexploded bombs. Last year they had four in three weeks, including one on a hot day when the beach at Saltburn was packed.

"While we waited for the navy disposal experts to turn up, we had to evacuate the entire beach," remembers Paul. "Most people were fine about it, but there are always one or two."

Redcar has had lifeguards patrolling the beach for at least 40 years, back to days when hundreds of buses and excursion trains would bring the crowds from all over Teesside and the Durham coalfields.

Times have changed. But after a grim few years (I know, I used to be a waitress at the Coatham Hotel), Redcar is on the up again, sprucer, more welcoming, sea and sand cleaner and looking at its best in the sunshine.

"On a day like this there's nowhere better and the people pour in," says Paul.

Lifeguards have changed with the times too. "The real experts are the Australians. They have worked on new ideas, new methods, better training. We're using more of their methods now and there's no doubt they're better. All the lifeguards who work for Redcar and Cleveland have top qualifications."

Two small children trot down to the sea carrying plastic air beds, a sight that puts the lifeguards on immediate alert. Last year lifeguard Andy Catterson at Saltburn had to swim out and rescue four children who were swept out to sea in a dinghy. Even if an inflatable gets taken out to sea without children on it, it can trigger a major alarm as people spot it, see it's empty and, naturally, imagine the worst. A word of advice can prevent a tragedy.

A major incident can spark lifeboats, helicopters, all the emergency services. But the lifeguards are the very first defence, an awesome responsibility for the young team recently named as one of the best in the North-East

Hot summers mean busy beaches and more work for the lifeguards

"But even in bad weather you'd be surprised at how many people are on the beach," says Paul.

And there's always some idiot who goes wave dodging and gets swept into the sea.

The lifeguards patrol two specific areas of beach, at Redcar and Saltburn, marked out by the red and yellow flags. Most people in the sea are safely between the flags.

"People are more safety conscious these days. They expect to see lifeguards there," says Paul. "But the sea is unforgiving. You have to respect it and think about safety all the time,"

Dan and Ben take up their positions on the wall, sun on their backs, eyes on the beach.

It could almost be Baywatch ...

* Redcar and Cleveland Lifeguards patrol sections of the beaches at Redcar and Saltburn from 10am-5pm seven days a week until the end of this month.