RYDE Beach Lifeguards are back on duty today (Wednesday) after completing pre-season training, and they've got a new rescue boat ready to hit the water.

The new inshore rescue boat (IRB) was purchased in response to a number of callouts the team received last summer, when rescuing casualties proved challenging for the lifeguards on Malibu boards and a kayak.

Beach manager Todd Miller and his team are frequently reviewing their processes and looking at new ways they can improve the service they deliver for Ryde Town Council.

It was decided that an IRB would be most suitable, and would enable the team to perform rescues much more easily and quickly.

Thanks to a successful grant from Morrisons, the team took the delivery of their new IRB on June 22, where it was blessed by Cllr Adrian Axford.