Pair in rubber dingy saved after washing into wall

Two people who were washed into Brighton Marina wall were "fortunate" to have been spotted by a fisherman, the RNLI has said.

Shoreham's all-weather lifeboat was launched to rescue the pair on Friday. Crews found the rubber dingy was not inflated properly and the couple had no way of calling for help.

The lifeboat towed the dingy back to Blackrock Beach, where the local volunteer lifeguard team met them ashore.

Lifeboat coxswain Simon Williams said: "The casualties were fortunate that they were spotted by the fisherman who called the coastguard.

"Always make sure you can call for assistance if you need it and let someone know your return time before going afloat."

The RNLI advises people to ensure they swim between red and yellow flags, to ensure children are supervised, and not to use use inflatables in big waves or when an orange windsock is flying.

"Inflatables can be great fun when they're used safely, but every summer, they're one of the most common reasons our lifeboat crews and lifeguards are called to action," a spokesperson said.

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

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