Hero rescues man from drowning in sea at Starr Gate

He leapt into action after spotting a vulnerable man in the water up to his neck and beginning to struggle in the sea at Starr Gate, South Shore at just after 7pm.

Without thinking for his own safety, he went into the sea and held the drowning man afloat until rescuers arrived.

Describing the actions of a bystander as "heroic", Lytham Coastguard said a vulnerable male with a rucksack was out of their depth and had begun to drown.

A spokesman for the coastguard said: "A vulnerable person carrying a large rucksack had entered the water. They soon became out of their depth and began to drown in the sea.

"Fortunately an extremely brave by-stander noticed what had unfolded and swam into the sea to help keep the drowning individual afloat until help arrived.

"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, RNLI Blackpool, Lancashire Police - Blackpool Police coordinated a rescue of the two persons; they were safely bought to shore and handed over to North West Ambulance Service paramedics who transported one patient to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

"The heroic actions of one individual have helped with what could have been a much worse scenario for another person. This said if you see anybody in difficulty in the water call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."

A lifeboat was scrambled to the scene and picked up the people in the water.

RNLI Blackpool said: "Our volunteers were at the station this afternoon when they were called out to a person in the sea at Squires Gate. The Atlantic 85 lifeboat reached the scene quickly and took the casualty and a member of the public who was providing assistance to shore and a waiting ambulance."

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "It all unfolded very quickly. The lifeboat was on the scene very quickly and deposited the two casualties back to a waiting land ambulance."