Police advise parents to take a photo of their child as soon as they get to the beach

Don't delay in capturing a family snap as soon as you hit the beach this summer.

That's the message from police in the UK, who have said that it could be crucial if your little one wanders off. Essex Police have asked parents to take a photo of their child as soon as they arrive at the beach for a day out. Having an up-to-date image with what the child is wearing will be a "massive help" to authorities in the event that the child gets lost on a busy day. In their statement, they warned not to post the photos to social media at the time.

"An up to date photo of your children, including what they are wearing that day, will be a massive help to the Coastguard and other emergency services if you report your children as missing. "Children are notorious for wandering off and going on adventures without telling anyone. They are usually only missing for a very short time but seconds count. "Keep these photos private and don’t post them to social media as it highlights that your house may be empty but could also be used for malicious reasons at the beach."

Though it may be an unimaginably upsetting thought, being somewhat prepared for the chance that you could temporarily lose sight of your child on a busy day will help if the situation does arise. A good tip if you do think your little one is lost is to call out the child's description rather than their name. You might also want to write your number and details on their arm, using a liquid band-aid to seal it on their skin.