Holidaymakers are being put at risk by unsafe equipment and procedures used by some watersports operators, a report said today. More than half the inspected firms put their customers in potential danger, according to Holiday Which? magazine.

A watersports safety consultant from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents found seven watersports centres on Corfu and Spain's Costa Blanca were unsafe. Another four centres on the Greek island had faults which made them potentially unsafe. Only seven of the 18 operators tested had safe operating procedures and equipment.

Some operators were "woefully slack", according to the magazine. Editor Lorna Cowan said: "It's not much fun having to spend your precious holiday time in casualty. We saw too many watersports operators who are making this all too likely with their total disregard for safety standards."

The inspector assessed the safety of towed inflatable rides, parasailing, water-skiing, windsurfing and jet-ski equipment, plus operating procedures at each centre.

Holiday Which? warned that one-man operations are more likely to be unsafe. It urged holidaymakers to check that watersports equipment is properly stored and looked after, and that operators supply them with properly-fitting life jackets and helmets.

Watersports operators should always ask about customers' personal details and any medical conditions, the consumer group warned.