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Lifeguards Rescued

TWO lifeguards found themselves on the wrong end of a rescue on Friday afternoon.

The pair, one aged 20 and the other 21, visiting the area from Lancashire, got into difficulties on a jetski just off Wig Bay when a wave threw them into the cold waters of Lochryan.

Someone who saw them in trouble after their craft drifted away, used a mobile phone to raise the alarm. Liverpool Coastguard took the call and alerted their colleagues at Clyde.

Stranraer Inshore Life-Boat was called out, as was Portpatrick Life-Boat, a Royal Naval rescue helicopter from Prestwick, Stranraer Coast-Guard team and local police.

The inshore life-boat was quickly on the scene, collected the two women - they were well-equipped to deal with the situation - from the water and carried them to the shore.

By this time the rescue helicopter was on the scene but seeing everything was under control, circled twice before returning to base. And Portpatrick life-boat was recalled to station.

The women were taken to the Garrick Hospital suffering from mild hypothermia but released after treatment. Life-boat crew members brought the undamaged jetski to the shore.