Surfing pair had minutes to live

One of the girls was treated for extreme shock

Coastguards say a father and his daughter are lucky to be alive after getting trapped in a cave while surfing off the north Cornwall coast.

The 12-year-old girl had been caught by a rip tide and pushed into the cave as a 7ft (2.1m) swell hit Chapel Porth, near St Agnes on Sunday afternoon.

Her father went to her rescue but also got trapped amid a rising tide.

Coastguards, who were alerted by a local fisherman, say the pair had minutes to live.

A wave came out of nowhere and washed them in Lifeboatman Rory Bushe

The lifeboat, St Agnes Coastguard rescue team and a Royal Navy helicopter from Culdrose were sent to the scene.

Lifeboatman Rory Bushe said: "When we arrived there was a huge backwash hitting the cliffs and the girl was clinging to the cliff-face for dear life.

"All of a sudden a wave came out of nowhere and washed them in and they went straight into the back of the cave. We knew from then it was going to be a very tough job."

Helmsman Gavin Forehead said: "In a lull in the set I went into the cave through a dog-leg and got alongside them in quite extreme conditions.

"The girl then jumped into the water and panicked. The father then jumped in with her and we managed to get both into the boat and exit the cave as fast we could."

The pair, along with two other girls aged 12 to 14, were airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital, where one of the girls was treated for extreme shock.