Lifeguard dog banned from beach

Bilbo has been credited with helping swimmers Bilbo, Britain's only lifeguard dog, who patrols Sennen in west Cornwall will no longer be seen on duty. The RNLI has taken over beach safety at Sennen from Penwith District Council this year. And it says the 14-stone Newfoundland will be unable to patrol as a lifeguard because of a dog ban on the beach. Bilbo's owner said the decision to keep a lifesaving asset off the beach was a "scandal", but Penwith council is backing the RNLI.

He is the biggest asset for beach safety and for the RNLI to disown him is a scandal Steve Jamieson

Bilbo has been part of the lifeguard team at Sennen for the past three years and was praised for helping to prevent a swimmer getting into difficulties.

He wears a special yellow jacket and can paddle out to stricken swimmers, pulling a rescue float with him.

But his owner, Steve Jamieson, 53, has been told by the RNLI that a concession which got Bilbo round a beach ban, was no longer acceptable for safety reasons.

Bilbo had been allowed to carry out his life guarding duties in the past because he had been carried on an all terrain bike (ATB) when he was not at the lifeguard hut or in the sea.

Now that the RNLI has taken over life guarding duties, it is not allowing him on their ATBs.

Rebecca Kirk, chief environmental officer at the council, told BBC News: "If he is on the beach it is against the law.

"It puts us in a really difficult position, but we have to be consistent."

Bilbo has been carried on ATBs to get round the ban in the past

Bilbo is not classed as a working dog, so if he goes on the beach, owner Mr Jamieson faces a £75 fine.

He said: "I was dumbstruck when I was told.

"He is the biggest asset for beach safety and for the RNLI to disown him is a scandal."

Steve Instance, the RNLI's lifeguard inspector the South West, said: "We have been as flexible as possible.

"But ATBs are for one person only and if a dog is 14 stone he is a passenger and that is simply not safe.

"We are not simply sticking to the rules for the sake of it. There are a lot of accidents on ATBs."

He added: "Bilbo is a fantastic asset and we have told Mr Jamieson he can use him for PR work and safety education in schools.

"But it is not suitable for the RNLI to have him as an operational lifeguard."

Newfoundland dogs are well adapted to swimming because they have a double coat - with the outer layer repelling water - and webbed paws.

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