RNLI lifeguards braved crashing swell on Saturday to save three people trapped by breaking surf while coasteering near Praa Sands

The lifeguards were alerted by one of the group, who had scrambled up the cliff and run along the coastal path back to the beach.

RNLI lifeguards Bruno Martin and Paul Richards set out in the inshore rescue boat (IRB), while a third, Alex Wake, stayed on scene to man the beach and communications.

The three trapped people were found about a quarter of a mile around the cliffs from the beach, where they had been making their way back to Praa Sands from the Penzance direction before the rising tide covered the rocks and the crashing swell made it impossible to swim.

Bruno couldn’t get the boat in close enough to reach them, so Paul swam in with a rescue tube.

Bruno said: "Paul did an amazing job, the swell was huge and it was so loud crashing against the cliffs that communication between myself, Paul and the coasteerers was impossible. I watched Paul as he battled through the current and driving waves.

"They jumped in one by one and Paul stayed with them while I came in as close as I could. Between us we managed to get them into the IRB and we made our way back to the beach."

Back at the lifeguard unit, the group, who were all in buoyancy aids, helmets and wetsuits, were checked and found to have no injuries.

Dickon Berriman, RNLI lifeguard manager, added: "The lifeguards did a fantastic job negotiating difficult conditions to rescue the group and bring them back to shore safely.

"Any activity that takes people beyond the line of sight of the lifeguards on duty will put them at greater risk. It’s also worth remembering that communication becomes very difficult when close to cliffs."