Lifeguards hail 'float to live' pair after rescue

The mother and daughter were caught in a rip current at Porthtowan around 18:00 BST on Monday

Lifeguards have praised a mother and daughter who followed the RNLI's safety advice prior to being rescued from the sea.

The pair were helped back to shore by a lifeguard after they were caught in a rip current, which pulled them 30m (100ft) out to sea at Porthtowan, Cornwall on Monday.

They had followed the 'float to live' advice, that helps conserve energy and control breathing.

The RNLI said it was expecting busy beaches in the South West over the next few weeks as temperatures continue to climb.

Martyn Ward, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor for Perranporth said: "What was great to hear was that the casualties were in the float to live position when Louie arrived on the scene, having heard the advice previously from the RNLI.

"It meant that they were able to keep themselves afloat whilst conserving their energy and control their breathing. Whilst we hope no one does find themselves in difficulty, the mother and daughter did exactly the right thing and it is good to see our message is reaching people."

The charity reminded beachgoers they should "visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags" in order to remain safe when visiting the seaside.

The RNLI advises people to follow the following steps if they get into trouble in the water:

• Tilt your head back with ears submerged

• Relax and try to control your breathing

• Use your hands to help you stay afloat

• It's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently