Final surf patrols for season

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Official surf lifesaving beach patrols will end this weekend.

Traditionally, volunteer weekend patrols begin at Labour Weekend in October and continue through to Easter for most of the Northern Region and parts of the Eastern Region.

Wanganui Surf Lifesaving Club spokeswoman Melanie Miller said Whanganui's official patrols would end this weekend along with those in most other parts of New Zealand.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand national lifesaving and education manager Allan Mundy said nationwide, lifeguards have spent about 200,000 hours patrolling this swimming season.

"We experienced some fantastic weather around the country throughout December and January, and particularly during the Christmas period, which saw thousands drawn to spending their holidays at the beach and lifeguards were certainly kept on their toes," he said.

The number of preventative actions undertaken nationally by lifeguards this season was around 100,000.

Preventative actions can be anything from moving swimmers into the patrolled area to picking up a piece of glass in the sand. Lifeguards also conducted about 180 searches and treated about 2000 people needing first aid.