More than a dozen surfers and bodyboarders had to be rescued after getting caught in a rip current at a Cornwall beach.
The mass rescue at Fistral beach in Newquay on Tuesday saw a total of 14 surfers and two bodyboarders dragged to safety.
RNLI lifeguards sprung into action with the fierce undertow forming as the tide was going out at about 1pm, cutting through the lines of breaking waves.
Liv Harwood was the first to respond, bravely plunging into the danger zone to begin loading casualties onto her rescue board, reports CornwallLive.
She then called for assistance as more people began being pulled into the path of the rampaging current.
Fellow lifeguard Ben Temme joined Liv on his own rescue board, with Stuart Weatherly on the rescue water craft (RWC) helping to pick people up and take them back to the beach.
The conditions on Fistral were sunny with 2-4ft surf and lots of people in the sea during the heart-stopping incident.
At the time, the team already had three lifeguards patrolling on rescue boards in the water in preparation for any sudden change.
Arron Evans, the beach's senior lifeguard, said: "At the moment on Fistral there is a deep trench that runs across the middle of the beach.
"The big tides combined with today’s surf conditions meant that when the tide was going out, a really strong rip current started to pull out to sea.
"Whilst Liv, Ben and Stuart were helping surfers who’d been pulled out to sea from the black and white flags (surf zone), lifeguard George Murphy was assisting some bodyboarders who were drifting away from the red and yellow flags towards the rip and making sure all the swimmers were safe."
Earlier in the day at 12.15pm, lifeguard Lesley Dawson was on a board patrol in the water when she responded to a rescue and assist of three male surfers caught out in a rip current and struggling to return to shore.
In total the team came to the aid of 19 people caught in powerful rip currents within a couple of hours.
Arron added: "Today has proven just how powerful rip currents can be, and how quickly you could find yourself caught out by one.
"That’s why it's so important to head to a lifeguarded beach and swim and bodyboard between the red and yellow flags, or surf between the black and white flags.
"As lifeguards we have the local knowledge of rip currents for the beaches we work on and always prepare according to the conditions of the day.
"Our lifeguards were ready to respond when needed today, as well as warning people of the dangers before they enter the water," he added.
See the RNLI site for more information on how to stay safe in a rip current.
