A keen kite-flyer was swept 25ft into the air and carried over the water from Point Clear to Brightlingsea.

Christopher Grimes, 17, bought his £1,000 power-kite just days before he had the trip of a lifetime.

He was at Point Clear's boat launch testing out his new 10ft by 3ft kite.

The teenager, who weighs 10st 2lbs, was caught by a strong wind and lifted into the air. He got to a height of about 25ft before being plunged into the water.

He was again dragged up by the wind and carried across the 250-yard-wide channel before being dumped on the other side, at the James and Stone shipyard site in Brightlingsea.

Chris, of Western Promenade, Point Clear, who is currently unemployed, traversed the Point Clear-Brightlingsea spit in just eight seconds. Getting from one side to the other by car takes 30 minutes.

Chris has flown kites since he was a little boy. He said: "If I had let go of my kite I would have been carried out to sea and might have drowned.

"It was not the flying part which worried me. It was the idea of getting stuck in the freezing cold water which concerned me the most."

The alert was raised immediately by Chris's friend, Dean Jones, who called the coastguard and Chris's gandmother on his mobile phone.

Frank Hart, coastguard watch manager, said: "He was extremely fortunate. He held on to his kite for dear life."

The coastguard dispatched a lifeboat from Clacton and contacted the Brightlingsea harbourmaster. But Chris had already landed safe and sound.

It is not the first time a member of his family has been in a sticky situation on Point Clear Beach.

Chris's grandmother, Pauline Gutteridge, told how Chris's mother, Michelle, had a lucky escape at exactly the same spot 25 years ago. She ran into trouble while she was swimming, and her family and friends had to make a "human chain" to pluck her to safety.

Chris, who has never tried hang-gliding before, still plans to carry on flying his kite, although after his latest escapade he plans to keep his feet firmly on the ground.

Point Clear legend has it that, 2,000 years ago, the Romans tried crossing the water at exactly the same point. But, according to the myth, they failed.

Back on the ground - Christopher Grimes and kite.

Picture: STEVE BAINBRIDGE

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