Stricken kite surfer rescued by RNLI crew

The Lytham St Annes Mersey class All-weather Lifeboat (ALB) Her Majesty the Queen was about to launch on exercise on Saturday morning when the coastguard tasked the crew to proceed to Starr Gate where two kite surfers were down in the water and apparently in difficulty.

Coxswain Nick Glassbrook launched the lifeboat and sped to Starr Gate where they found one of the surfers had managed to reach shallow water and was wading safely ashore. The second surfer was tangled up and was slowly being driven out to sea.

The Lifeboat went alongside and took the man on board before bringing his kite out of the water.

Lifeboat crew first-aiders on Her Majesty the Queen checked the man was alright and unaffected by his prolonged “dip” before landing him and his gear on the beach..

Lifeboat Mechanic Ben McGarry said: “The surfer was slowly being driven out to sea by the tidal current and breeze despite his best attempts at swimming ashore. Fortunately his kite stayed afloat.”