A lifeboat crew were called out to rescue a man who had been blown out to sea in an inflatable dinghy.

The Hartlepool Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers also reached a second man who had swum out from Seaton Carew beach to assist the first casualty.

The alarm was raised on Saturday, June 27, at 3.27pm by Humber Coastguard.

The inshore lifeboat Solihull with four volunteer crew members was launched at 3.42pm and was alongside the two casualties within minutes.

Hartlepool RNLI volunteer crew members, left to right, Glen Pearson, James White, Jamie Northey and Mark Barker.

placeholder image — Hartlepool RNLI volunteer crew members, left to right, Glen Pearson, James White, Jamie Northey and Mark Barker.

The casualties were then taken to the beach at Seaton Carew and handed over to the Hartlepool Coastguard team.

Hartlepool lifeboat operations manager Steve Pounder said afterwards: “A prompt response from the crew brought the incident to a successful outcome.

“An offshore wind can quickly blow inflatables out to sea.

“Please tether inflatable toys to prevent this situation or just don't bring them to the beach.

“In this situation it's best to ring 999 and ask for the Coastguard and to keep the casualty in sight.”

Hartlepool RNLI inshore lifeboat helm Mark Barker added: “A quick launch from the Ferry Road boathouse meant we were on scene to recover the casualties who were both none the worse for their experience.

“We safely handed them over to the Coastguard team on the beach at Seaton Carew.”

The volunteer crew members then assisted a personal water craft and its owner from Seaton Carew beach to a slipway near Hartlepool Marina after it had suffered a mechanical failure.

The inshore lifeboat returned to the lifeboat station at 4.50pm and was refuelled and made ready for service by 5.10pm.