TWO girls aged seven and 17 had to be rescued after being blown out to sea.

The girls had been blown out to sea by the strong offshore wind to the West of Talacre lighthouse, and into the busy shipping channel to Mostyn port.

The incident happened on Friday, August 9.

Rhyl lifeboat launched both their inshore and all-weather lifeboats with urgency and were on scene some 14 minutes after the initial call.

Coastguard rescue teams from Rhyl and Flint, together with the Coastguard rescue helicopter from Caernarvon, were also tasked.

It was also reported that two people were trying to swim out to the inflatable dinghy to try to rescue the girls.

Rhyl Journal:

A spokesperson from Rhyl Lifeboat said: "The inshore lifeboat crew were on scene first, but were initially directed to another dinghy, but were turned round once the people on shore said this was not the dinghy in question.

"The crew scanned the immediate area and soon spotted the dinghy and raced to the position, some 500 metres out from the shore.

"The young girl was in the dinghy, and the elder girl in the water, trying to hold the position of the dinghy.

"Both were taken on board the inshore lifeboat and the dinghy deflated to aid passage back to shore."

The all-weather lifeboat and helicopter then arrived on scene.

The spokesperson added: "The girls were rushed back to shore to waiting coastguards and were checked over by the teams on shore. Both girls were fine but complaining of cold. They were handed over to the waiting coastguards."

Vinny Jones, helm of the inshore lifeboat, said: "It was good fortune that the inshore lifeboat crew spotted the dinghy within a short timescale. They were in the middle of the busy shipping channel, and would not have been spotted easily by the fast vessels using the port.

"It was a great team effort by all the agencies involved, with a successful outcome. We hope both the girls recover fully from their ordeal."

Paul Frost, duty coxswain of the all-weather lifeboat, added: "We always advise the public to swim at a lifeguarded beach, and to take advice from the lifeguards regarding offshore winds and ebb tides.

"Inflatables are dangerous things, and it proved today that the dinghy can be over half a kilometre from shore in a matter of minutes.

"The sea is not the place for inflatables. Our volunteers did a great job spotting a small boat in rapidly worsening weather."