Darlington angler Michael thanks Hartlepool RNLI for rescue

Michael Soley visited the RNLI station to thank those who rescued him after he was swept off a pier

An angler who was swept off a pier in Redcar has thanked the lifeboat crew who saved his life.

Michael Soley, from Darlington, said he was being pulled out to sea by the current after a wave took him off South Gare pier.

He was saved by the Hartlepool lifeboat which was in the area on a training exercise on 21 March.

Mr Soley visited the RNLI station in Hartlepool to thank his rescuers.

Rescuers said it was a difficult rescue due to the strong waves

The angler was preparing for a day's fishing with his father and brother when a wave swept him off the pier.

He said: "I tried to swim back to the pier but couldn't fight the sea and I started to panic.

"The tide pulled me from the pier towards Redcar shoreline and then out to sea.

"I remember laying in the water looking up at the sky and everything was going all peaceful and my eyes were shutting.

"All I could think about was my eight-year-old son, Billy, he was supposed to be coming with us but decided to stay at home and play computer games with his friend.

"Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the lifeboat, I can't remember what happened next but I woke up in hospital with heat packs all over me."

The Hartlepool crew, which is made up of volunteers, managed to throw a line to Mr Soley which they used to pull him aboard their new Atlantic 85 boat.

Mr Soley said: "I am so grateful to the RNLI lifeboat crews, I owe my life to them."