LIFEBOAT officials in Minehead have made a fresh plea to kayakers to wear lifejackets when putting to sea.

It follows an incident on yesterday evening when both of the station’s lifeboats were launched to search for a kayaker who was reported overdue by friends.

The 40-year-old man had put out from Dunster Beach about 7pm but an hour and a half later had failed to return.

He was quickly located more than a mile off Warren Point by the crew of Minehead’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat but refused all offers of help.

He was then accompanied back to Dunster beach by the crew of the station’s D class boat.

Crew member Andrew Escott said: “He had actually paddled out around one of the ships which was anchored in the channel and we fixed that as being nearly three miles offshore.

“The problem was that, by the time he started to head back, the tide had turned and he was paddling against it. He was wearing no lifejacket and had no mobile phone or any other means of communication so we had no option but to escort him back to Dunster.

“He had to paddle non-stop for an hour to get there because he was going against a two and a half-knot current.”

Minehead lifeboat spokesman Chris Rundle said the man had taken a huge risk by putting to sea unequipped.

“Even in fine, calm weather there are strong currents running at all times on the Bristol Channel which is why we advise anyone going kayaking to check the tide tables first to make sure they can get back safely,” he said.

“But no-one should even think about putting out on a kayak without a lifejacket and some means of communication – either a mobile phone or some distress flares – because one slight mishap is all it takes to put them into a life-threatening predicament.

“This man was extremely fortunate to have friends who were concerned about him and dialled 999.”