Three teens have completed a taxing two-week training course to qualify as junior lifeguards.

Princeton Bailey, Celine Collis and Jillian Rinehimer, all aged 15, are now equipped with the skills to save lives on the beach after graduating from a Red Cross scheme.

The trio passed three written exams before taking seven practical tests at Whaler Inn Beach on Saturday.

The youngsters had to prove to former lifeguard superintendent Dean Bottomley, now a Red Cross volunteer, that they could carry out all aspects of water rescue plus perform first aid, spinal injury management and cardio pulmonary resuscitation.

"They did very well; I was very proud of them," said Mr. Bottomley. "They all did very well in their written exams and they also had to do practical exams throughout the course where they had to demonstrate their skills in order to get signed off on the skills.

"Yesterday, all the things they were doing on the beach was the final exam.

"It's like 'okay, let's see if you really know it'.

"It was a test to see how well they would fit in as lifeguards. I was pleased with them."

The three teenagers are the first to pass the Red Cross junior lifeguard course and Mr. Bottomley said they could now work as camp counsellors on the Island.

"They are qualified to be junior lifeguards but they don't have a junior lifeguard programme here," he said.

"However, they can lifeguard for any of the summer programmes and the camps.

"We are trying to get more people aware of safety at the beach."