A PADDLE boarder out enjoying a Christmas Eve paddle at lunchtime had to be rescued after being blown out to sea by strong offshore winds.

Penlee lifeboat Ivan Allen was launched at 12:21 today after being contacted by the Falmouth Coastguard. The paddle boarder was picked up a few hundred yards from St Michael's Mount where he had been blown in a southerly direction with a strong offshore wind of force 6 to 7.

He was reported as being cold and wet and was wrapped in blankets before being taken back to lifeboat house to recover. After warming up he was OK and was taken back to Marazion by the Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team.

A spokesperson for Penlee lifeboat said: "At 12:21 today 24th December 2020, the RNLI's Penlee Lifeboat 'Ivan Ellen' was dispatched to a paddle boarder by Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre. The casualty who was a few hundred yards from St. Michael's Mount had been blown in a southerly direction with a strong offshore wind of force 6 to 7.

The man, who was cold and wet, was wrapped in blankets and taken to Penlee boathouse for recovery. He felt fine after warming up and was later taken by our colleagues Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team back to Marazion.

Crew… Patch Harvey cox, Tony Rendle, Neville Pitman, Amy Smith, Adrian Bick, Jason Ward and Max Rowe.