SEVERN Area Rescue Association (SARA) held their annual open day for members of the public to learn about the team at their base in Chepstow on Sunday.

They held a live rescue demonstration, and let children aboard their boat to look at the facilities and equipment.

Around 250 visitors attended the open day at the Beachley Station.

Merv Flemming, station chairman of SARA, said the open day, from 11am to 4pm, went exactly as planned.

“We only hold the event once a year, and it is never at a specific time or date because we have to make sure the tide is high enough to be able to hold our live demonstrations," he said.

“And if the tide isn’t high enough we can’t hold the event, so we try to plan ahead.

“We got a lot of people who came in the morning while the weather was nice, which was great, but as it rained in the afternoon it wasn’t as busy.”

Mr Flemming also said that every year, the public seem to enjoy learning about the rescue boats the most.

“People got the opportunity to look round our facilities," he said.

"It's a bit of fun and it is nice to see the smiles on the children’s faces when they get to come on board the boat and we turn the sirens on.”