Clacton lifeboat rescues capsized sea kayakers

Two kayakers who capsized near an offshore windfarm were rescued when a lifeboat spotted an oar being waved.

Clacton lifeboat went to Gunfleet sands, four miles off the Essex coast, at 10:00 BST on Saturday after a distress call from one of the kayakers.

A "black dot" turned out to be an oar, the RNLI said, with a kayaker in the water pulled to safety. The second was found on top of their kayak.

Both were suffering from the effects of exposure and immersion, the RNLI said.

Volunteers at the RNLI station who were off-duty ambulance staff attended the casualties while an ambulance arrived.

Helmsman Adrian Rose said: 'We are glad we could help these two kayakers today and feel that their lives have been saved due to our ability to make a quick response, and that they managed to request help using a mobile phone.

"Due to their position they were unlikely to have been seen from the shore, and the wind was pushing them further out to sea."