Fishing pair rescued from inflatable mattress

Two people, who were fishing from an inflatable mattress, have been rescued after being blown offshore.

Weymouth RNLI volunteer crews in two lifeboats responded to a report that the inflatable had drifted near the Fine Foundation Wild Chesil Centre on the Dorset coast at about 18:00 BST on Tuesday.

The Inshore Lifeboat located the pair and brought them to shore, where they were handed into the care of HM Coastguard at about 19:00.

The RNLI said the incident "highlights how quickly situations can escalate along the coastline".

"Strong offshore winds can rapidly carry inflatables away from the beach, leaving those on board vulnerable and unable to return safely," the RNLI said.

The lifeboat charity said that inflatables are "one of the most common reasons lifeboat crews and lifeguards are called to action" every summer.

"They're not designed for the beach so it's easy to get swept out to sea," it continued.

It added that both of its lifeboats returned to Weymouth Harbour at 20:30.

Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, it reminded the public that when bringing inflatables to the beach, safety steps such as choosing a lifeguarded beach and staying close to shore between the red and yellow flags were important.