Pembrokeshire RNLI lifeguards were the busiest in Wales last summer, statistics revealed this week have shown.

They assisted in 842 incidents and helped aid 1,021 members of the public during the season.

Neil Thomas, RNLI divisional lifeguard manager, said: "2010 has been another busy year for Welsh RNLI lifeguards.

"During the summer period, we saw an increase in beach users, and our world-class lifeguards were busy assisting those in difficulty in the water and providing first aid where required.

"RNLI lifeguards will soon be preparing for the 2011 season, and we look forward to continuing to provide help when needed on South and West Wales beaches."

Major lifeboat rescues last year included a launch by RNLI Tenby volunteers who rescued five men off a sinking fishing boat near Pendine Sands and took them to safety. Being equipped with fast response lifeboats helps to ensure that volunteer crews arrive at the scene in time to save lives at sea.

Meanwhile, RNLI lifeboats rescued 1,121 people around the Welsh and Manx coast last year, while 1,569 people were assisted by RNLI lifeguards on 28 Welsh beaches during the summer season. That's 2,690 reasons to support the charity.

Welsh and Manx lifeboats launched 1,207 times and spent a total of 1,378 hours - over 57 days - at sea in 2010. Even though the number of lifeboat launches was down last year compared to 2009, the RNLI lifeguards were kept busy as they saw a 30 per cent rise in incidents during the summer season.

The lifeboats, manned by volunteer crews of between three and seven, launched a total of 1,207 times in 2010.

For every single call to launch, the crews had to stop whatever they were doing - whether at a family celebration, at their day job or asleep in bed - and get to their local lifeboat station as quickly as possible.

RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews responded to more incidents involving pleasure boats in 2010 than any other type of incident within the division.  

Colin Williams, RNLI divisional inspector for Wales and the West, said: "I would like to thank our RNLI volunteers for providing first class service across the division throughout the year.

"As a charity, we need to continuously fundraise to ensure that our lifeboat crews and lifeguards continue to receive the very best equipment and training so they are able to save lives at sea."

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity that is independent of government and reliant on donations, is therefore urging the public to respond to its own call for help by supporting RNLI SOS Day today (Friday).

To find out more, log on to http://www.rnli.org.uk/sos">www.rnli.org.uk/sos or call 0845 121 4999.