Southend RNLI crew rescues rower off Thorpe Bay in Essex

The rower, a man in his 30s, was handed over to paramedics after he was rescued at sea

Lifeboat volunteers in Essex faced their "most challenging shout in 15 years" as they rescued a rower from gale force winds and heavy rain.

The RNLI crew from Southend-on-Sea was called to help a man seen rowing towards Mulberry Harbour, off Thorpe Bay, on Thursday.

He was later found on top of the harbour "cold, wet and exhausted" and in need of immediate medical attention.

The man, who was in his late 30s, was handed over to an ambulance crew.

The initial call for help had come from members of Thorpe Bay Yacht Club, who kept an eye on the rower and liaised with emergency crews.

RNLI crews undertook another rescue involving the Mulberry Harbour, pictured in the background, in August 2020

The lifeboat managed to reach Mulberry Harbour - an artificial harbour used to unload supply ships during World War Two - at 17:10 GMT, almost an hour after they were alerted.

The RNLI said it was battling 35mph (56km/h) gusts and that there was still an hour before low tide.

'Outstanding seamanship'

"With the weather worsening to gale force winds and heavy rain, time was of the essence," an RNLI spokesman said.

"With outstanding seamanship from the helm and exceptional skills from the crew, the volunteers transferred the casualty to the [lifeboat] with great efficiency."

Volunteer helm Tony Field added: "This was unquestionably the most challenging shout I have had in 15 years. A huge thanks to crew Josh, Alex and Ed, a super effort all round."