Family swept out to sea on dinghy

People are being urged to stay on their inflatables should they get dragged out to sea

A family from Northamptonshire had to be rescued when they drifted out to sea off the Norfolk coast on a toy dinghy, the coastguard said.

The Yarmouth Coastguard was contacted with reports of a toy dinghy a mile out to sea off Bacton on Sunday afternoon.

Mundesley Inshore Lifeboat rescued a woman clinging to the inflatable.

Her two children, aged 12 and 18, had swum back to shore. A spokesman for the coastguard said they were "extremely lucky to be alive."

Suffering hypothermia

He said the 12-year-old daughter had panicked and tried to swim to shore but got into difficulties.

Her 18-year-old brother jumped in to save her but got into difficulty himself.

The father, who was on the shore, then managed to reach and rescue them.

The children were treated for shock, hypothermia and water inhalation.

Bill Austin, from Great Yarmouth Coastguard, said: "More people die when trying to swim ashore from lilos or parents trying to recue them.

"Keep the inflatable tethered... and do not go on the inflatable with an offshore wind."