A teenage paddle boarder rescued a child blown out to sea on an inflatable swan in North Ayrshire.
Ardrossan Coastguard said the 17-year-old boy’s “quick actions” saved the young girl from a “tragic ending”.
Emergency services were called shortly after 4.30pm on Thursday.
The boarder had managed to recover the nine-year-old girl, but could not return to shore because of wind.
The lifeboat swiftly retrieved the pair, before making its way to Ardrossan Harbour. Both were checked over by paramedics but no further medical attention was needed.
The girl is thought to be local while the paddle-boarder was from Gateshead in Tyne and Wear and was understood to be on holiday in the area, lifeboat crew said.
A short time later, three kayakers were blown off shore north of Ardrossan Harbour. Coastguard and the lifeboat navigated challenging conditions to help them return to land.
None of the individuals required treatment and their kayaks were recovered.
An Ardrossan Coastguard statement said: “Yesterday also highlights once again the dangers of using inflatables at the coast especially in offshore wind conditions.
“Inflatable toys are designed for the swimming pool – not the sea.
“We would also advise people to avoid setting to sea for any sort of surface water sport including paddle boarding or kayaking when there is an offshore wind.
“You can very quickly drift or be blown a significant distance from shore without realising and ultimately may require to be rescued.”
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