A VOLUNTEER lifeboat crew rescued a distressed person who was spotted in trouble in the sea.

Quick-thinking passers-by flagged down a police car on Saturday at 8pm after the person was spotted 40 metres offshore near Holland-on-Sea.

Officers called for the aid of Clacton RNLI and a member of the D Class inshore boat went into the water to speak to the person.

The casualty was in the water and the lifeboat crewman plucked him to safety and returned to the lifeboat station where they were met by paramedics.

A second person in distress was treated by paramedics on the beach. Crewman Adrian Rose said: “We rescued someone who just needed to chat, to talk to a friend and have a cup of tea.

“Talk to your friends, chew the fat over a pint or simply walk and talk.

“We all have our bad days so call that friend and talk it out. It’s OK to not be OK.”

A spokesman for Tendring’s local policing team thanked everyone who helped in the rescue.

He said: “Quite often we rely on other emergency services and more often members of the public to help and Saturday evening was a perfect example. Officers conducting routine patrols in the Holland-on-Sea district were flagged down by members of the public as there was a distressed person in the sea some 40 metres off the beach.

“The clarity and accuracy of the initial report was vital in the deployment of our emergency services counterparts. Volunteers from Clacton Lifeboat were quickly on the scene with beach side co-ordination from HM Coastguard.

“Likewise an ambulance was deployed initially to the beach but then to the Clacton RNLI station to deal with the casualty.

“A paramedic helped with a second person in distress who had collapsed on the beach.

“Without the help from the public, volunteer RNLI crew, coastguard and ambulance the incident would have played out very differently.

“All those involved received the appropriate medical care.”