Cumbria fishermen drift four miles in sea as boat sinks

Two shrimp fishermen were rescued after drifting for four miles at sea when their boat sank off the Cumbrian coast.

The Coastguard said they had been in the water for an hour by the time lifeboats reached them off Silloth.

The pair got their net caught at Cardurnock Flats and their 10m (30ft) boat, Boy Bailey, overturned and sank.

They were eventually rescued by an RNLI lifeboat after the alarm was raised when people on the shore heard them cry for help as they were swept along.

Liverpool Coastguard received a 999 call just after 13:30 BST. The men were rescued by a crew from Silloth RNLI assisted by coastguard units from Maryport and Burgh by Sand.

They were pulled from the water by the inshore lifeboat crew and taken to hospital in Carlisle by ambulance.

Tony Topping from Liverpool Coastguard said: "These fishermen were extremely lucky.

"Firstly they managed to grab life rings and then the tide carried them the four miles down to Silloth."