Five paddleboarders who found themselves in trouble off Minehead were rescued by the lifeboat.

The group, all in their 20s and from south Wales were paddling off the shore on Sunday (26 June), when they found themselves being blown offshore by strong south-westerly winds.

The Minehead RNLI volunteers had just returned from a routine training exercise when they spotted the group struggling and launched to their assistance.

Volunteer Helm Phil Sanderson said: “We launched in calm conditions, but the further we got offshore it was evident how strong the wind really was, and the sea conditions got rougher.

“As we made our way towards the paddleboarders, we could see they were all in the water.

“As we pulled them onboard it was clear some of the group were upset and beginning to feel the effects of the cold water.

“We returned all five ashore for further assessment. It was good to see they were wearing wetsuits and buoyancy aids which certainly helped them in this frightening situation.”