New beach flags have been unveiled in The Hague designed to make it clearer to visitors when it is safe to swim.

Icons and texts in English have been added to the flags after research found many people were unaware of what the colours indicated.

A red flag, meaning the sea is unsafe, will include the words “do not swim”, while the yellow flag shows a swimmer in difficulty and the word “warning”.

The red and yellow striped flag, which indicates a supervised swimming area, now displays an icon of a lifeguard and the words “lifeguard on duty”.

An orange flag means inflatables are banned, while a purple flag warns people of possible hazards in the water, such as pollution or sea creatures.

Safety organisation Het Strand Veilig said it had opted for texts in English, rather than Dutch or German, to communicate the message to as many beach visitors as possible. Information boards underneath the signs are in all three languages.

The first new-style flag was raised on Scheveningen beach on Tuesday by The Hague’s alderman for mobility, Arjen Kapteijns. The lifeguard service aims to replace the flags on all Dutch beaches over the course of the summer.