Kayaker rescued after trying to cross from St Bees to IoM

RNLI Douglas lifeboat Sir William Hillary leaving harbour Credit: Mike Howland, RNLI

Five members of crew from the Isle of Man and Cumbria Royal National Lifeguard Institution (RNLI) were called out to assist a capsized kayak on Saturday.

The Douglas and St Bees stations were paged around 9:30am to locate Terry Hartley whose kayak had capsized in choppy seas five miles west of St Bees Head.

Fellow RNLI volunteers from Ramsey, Workington and Barrow, as well as the Coastguards Search and Rescue helicopter, and Maryport's Inshore Rescue boat, joined in with the rescue effort.

Following an extensive search lasting nearly two hours, the helicopter located the man and his boat.

Mr Hartley was taken by helicopter to Workington RNLI’s lifeboat station and given a shower and a hot drink.

Workington's boat Shannon picked up the kayak and reunited it with its owner back at their station.

St Bees lifeboat launch. Credit: Colin Wadey, RNLI