Man critical after surf accident

A 21-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital following a surfing accident in Cornwall.

Emergency services were called to Watergate Bay in Newquay on Saturday after reports of a surfer in trouble.

It is believed the man, who is not local, was pulled unconscious from the water by two RNLI lifeguards.

He was given first aid by two paramedics from a nearby speedboat competition and was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

'Very enticing'

RNLI spokeswoman Tamsin Thomas said that red flags were flying, warning people to stay away from the water, because of the Zapcat speedboat competition nearby.

There was no suspicion that the surfer had been in a collision.

She said: "The conditions were very enticing for surfing, with clean, shoulder-high waves, so that may have made people think it was ok to go in the water.

"But the red flags were flying and that means you do not go in the water because Zapcats and surfers do not mix."