Six people rescued from sea in Hunstanton after 'most serious' incident this summer

The Hunstanton Lifeboat rescued six people in one operation yesterday.

They were called out to a report of two 14-year-old girls being swept out to sea on an inflatable dinghy. A man who tried to save them was also in trouble.

At the same time, a father and mother and their young daughter were trapped on a sandbank by the incoming tide.

The volunteer crew rushed to the area and rescued the two girls and the swimmer, and the three were taken aboard, suffering from water inhalation and shock.

The lifeboat then picked up the family. Because of concern for the casualties, an ambulance was requested to meet them at the boathouse on return.

A Hunstanton Lifeboat spokesman said: "This was a multi-agency incident involving RNLI, Ambulance, Air Ambulance, Coastguard and Police.

"The casualties were later transferred by road ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn for further observation.

"This was our most serious incident this heatwave, and highlights the importance of the dangers of using inflatables in tidal waters, and venturing out to the sandbanks unaware that the tide comes in at a very fast rate."