IT’S time to dust off the swimming trunks and costumes – the Bournemouth Pier2Pier 2012 swim has been launched.

Organisers from the British Heart Foundation are hoping 2,400 people will join in the 1.4mile swim and make around £200,000.

Last year’s event, the 21st, hit the headlines when some of the 1,800 swimmers failed to clock in at the end sparking a major search operation by the RNLI and Portland Coastguard.

Organiser Andy Coles told the Daily Echo: “We’ve got the best lifeguards in the country helping us and have reviewed all our checking in and out procedures.”

Participants on July 15 will be issued with a wristband and numbered hat, and checked out twice as they leave the water at Boscombe Pier.

Lifeguards patrolling the beach will radio in any swimmers who won’t make it to the finish line.

“It’s a great way of keeping fit and raising funds. The charity needs to spend £100 every minute on research to continue the work we do so these people are raising vital sponsorship,” Mr Coles said.

Swimmers must be able to do 100 lengths of a 25-metre pool without stopping.

Event Water Safety experts Llyr Faragher and Ben Granatasay say they will have 65 lifeguards on duty, some using power rescue water craft (jetskis) to patrol.

Register at bhf.org.uk/pier2pier or call 0800 169 3672 or email westevents@bhf.org.uk