AN inflatable unicorn has sparked the latest seaside rescue after a man was blown hundreds of metres from the shore.

The incident, which happened off Hayling Island in Hampshire, is the latest in a string of inflatable-related rescues, with 15 separate incidents recorded in the area on July 2 alone.

The inflatables in question included a dinghy and a flamingo, while closer to home there was a false alarm with an inflatable puffin in Poldhu, near Mullion recently.

HM Coastguard duty controller Piers Stanbury said: “We’ve had to waste RNLI and Coastguard volunteers’ time to ensure that abandoned inflatables did not have anyone at risk associated with them.

“We can’t stress enough that these inflatables are not suitable for use in the sea. Tide conditions, the wind, any changes in the weather can just take them out beyond safe depths.

“Please, don’t use them, don’t take them to the seaside. Inflatables really should only be used in swimming pools, not at the coast where they can quickly go from being fun to being potentially deadly.”

The rescue follows an incident two weeks ago when an inflatable puffin sparked a two-hour search at Poldhu, near Mullion involving three lifeboats and the rescue helicopter – only for it to be a false alarm.

The emergency services were scrambled when the inflatable was spotted floating out to sea with no one on it, prompting fears that someone had fallen off and was in trouble in the water.

The Penlee Inshore Lifeboat was the first to arrive at 6.39pm, and within ten minutes of arriving the crew had found the puffin, but with no one on board.

Penlee RNLI coxswain Patch Harvey said at the time: “Blow-up toys and airbeds are designed for pools, not the sea where they can easily be swept out.

“If you do use them at the beach, then ensure children are closely supervised, keep near the shore, only use them between the red and yellow flags, always follow the lifeguard’s advice, do not take them out in big waves and never use them when orange windsock is flying, as this indicates offshore winds which will blow inflatables further out to sea.”