Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade are urging people to stay safe if they are heading to the coast
They tell us how they are expecting to respond to more emergency call outs as the weather is getting warmer
Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade is urging people across the North East to be extra careful whilst around open water this bank holiday.
They are warning us about hidden dangers such as cold-water shock and riptides.
Heather Peacock, who is from the water safety team at the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, said: "The main message is just be very aware of what the risks are and try to mitigate that.
"Don't go into water by yourself, always go in with a friend and make sure that you can be seen and those will also help you to stay safe.
"If you are thinking about going into the water over the bank holiday weekend, just be aware that the water is still very cold at this time of year.
"We can get lovely sunny days where the weather can feel nice and warm, but the sea temperature is still very cold, which means that people can be susceptible to cold water shock and hypothermia.
"If you do see anyone in trouble at the coast, please don't go in after them to try and help.
"If you can throw something that floats to them, that would be good, or you can reach a stick out to them, but please don't go into the water to try and help.
"The easiest thing to do is to dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.
"If you do find yourself in difficulty in the water, and this could be whether you're swimming, dipping, surfing or paddle boarding, then you need to signal for help and shout for help.
"If you've got something that floats with you, hold on to it, don't leave it.
"If you're swimming, you need to try and float on your back in a kind of starfish position and shout for help."