A FIRM warning has been issued after a group of people aboard an inflatable pink flamingo were spotted drifting towards West Pier.

HM Shoreham Coastguard were called after a group of people were spotted on the garish bird off Brighton beach shortly before 6.30pm yesterday.

A spokesman for the service said: “Our team was paged to a report of a large inflatable flamingo drifting towards the West pier in Brighton.

“Once on the scene, the occupants were called ashore.

“Officers found that they had no life jackets or paddles and were unaware of the potential dangers of allowing inflatables to drift.

“Very strong words of safety advice given.

“Please remember, inflatables are for the swimming pool and not the sea.

“If you see anyone in trouble along the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

Coastguard crews have had a frantic few weeks with the service seeing its busiest weekend of the year late last month.

Teams responded to 447 incidents over the weekend of May 30, a 168 per cent increase on the same weekend the year before.

HM Coastguard Duty Commander Matt Leat said: “Very high numbers of people took to the beaches, coast and sea this weekend which led to a huge increase in the number of incidents.

“Boating, swimming and other sea-based activities are now allowed again across the UK, as is spending time on the beach.

“However, now more than ever, people need to respect the sea and the coast to ensure the safety of themselves and their families.

“Regardless of how well you know the coast, or how experienced you are in your chosen sport, the sea can still catch you out.

“If you are visiting the beach with your children, have fun but stay safe. Make sure you have sight of your children at all times.

“In addition, the Government guidelines around social distancing should continue to be observed by everyone in the UK.”