Family rescued from being swept out to sea by rip

The girl, her mother and a friend were rescued by RNLI lifeguards after getting caught in a rip current at Hornsea

A family had to be rescued after being swept out to sea by a rip current while swimming off a popular beach.

The RNLI said a girl, her mother and their friend were given assistance after the incident at Hornsea earlier this month, while the father was injured trying to help his daughter.

They became caught in strong currents caused by heavy winds on the north side of the beach on 13 August.

Two RNLI lifeguards, Brent Mayman and George Welch, were patrolling the area when they spotted the girl clinging to a wooden groyne.

The mother and friend were taken to shore on a rescue board

She had been pulled around 60 metres from an area marked by flags that had been designated as safe for swimming.

Her father had to return to shore when he hurt his leg while trying to rescue her, and Mr Mayman paddled out to her with a rescue board.

The lifeguard then realised that her mother and a friend were also in difficulties and being pulled further out to sea, and he managed to bring them ashore on the board while a member of the public rescued the girl.

They were assessed by the RNLI at the beach and the girl was advised to go to hospital as she had swallowed a considerable amount of seawater.

Mr Mayman said: "I am grateful that the casualties are safe and that they stayed together in the water.

"We give advice to visitors about local conditions and lifeguards set up the red and yellow flags for them to safely swim between."

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