Rescue services are urging people to put safety first as they head for the hills, rivers and coasts of Wales over the August bank
holiday weekend. A Snowdonia mountain rescue team has had a record number of call-outs, already more than in all of last year. Lifeboat crews and lifeguards are preparing for a weekend which last year saw 40 launches and 40 people saved. RNLI safety officers at Cardiff Harbour Festival will offer visitors the chance to have lifejackets checked. The festival is one of a number of events across Wales this weekend, including Cardiff’s Mardi Gras, Swansea’s World Party Weekend and Rhyl’s Fun in the Sun event. They come as rescue teams prepare for what many expect to be their busiest weekend of the year. Charlie Graham, a team leader at Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT), urged people heading for the mountains to take basic precautions such as warm, water-proof clothing, a map, compass and torch and to check the weather forecast.
He said people should have an understanding of where they were heading and be prepared to turn back if the weather changes.