Sea rescue girl 'critical'

The children got into difficulties under Cromer Pier

A girl is critically ill in hospital after she was pulled from the sea near a pier in Norfolk.

Two children were rescued after getting into difficulties near Cromer Pier about 1545 BST on Saturday.

Lifeguards had to support one of the youngsters who was trapped under the pier before a rescue boat arrived at the scene.

One child had been taken to hospital by air ambulance and another youngster was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital by road.

An eight-year-old girl, who has not been named, has been transferred to intensive care at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Her condition is critical but stable.

The second girl, who is six, was kept in hospital overnight for observation and discharged after making a full recovery.

At least two other children, aged 11 and 12, managed to scramble to safety from under the pier.

Two of the children were local and two were holidaymakers.