Lifeguards save rubber ring boy

Three people were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan

A boy of seven was rescued by two beach lifeguards after he was swept out to sea on a rubber ring at Rhyl.

They swam out up to 70 metres, and coastguards and inshore lifeboat crew also helped save the boy and four other people who had gone to his aid.

The boy was clinging to the inflatable ring in rough conditions.

He was given oxygen treatment before being taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital at Bodelwyddan along with a 10-year-old girl and a woman.

The emergency began around 1630 BST on Wednesday when Holyhead Coastguard received several 999 calls.

The lifeguards did a brilliant job Paul Frost, RNLI spokesman

A spokesman for the coastguard said as far as it was known two boys were in the inflatable when they got into difficulties off the town's west shore.

The mother of one of the children went into the sea, along with two other people, one from the opposite shore.

RNLI spokesman Paul Frost praised the lifeguards' rescue effort.

"The lifeguards did a brilliant job. They swam 50 to 70 metres to reach the boy," he said.

"The coastguards were also involved, and at one stage we had nine people in the lifeboat.

"The boy was quite poorly with hypothermia and he had to be given oxygen.

'Good co-operation'

But Mr Frost added the boy had been "very lucky".

He said the success of the rescue was due to the good co-operation between the coastguards, lifeguards and the RNLI team.

Barry Priddis, watch manager at Holyhead Coastguard, said: "With the August Bank Holiday weekend due and more visitors expected to the seaside and beaches, we would like to remind the public that great care must be taken at the seaside."