Two paddleboarders were rescued “in the nick of time” after getting into difficulties off the Fife coast.
The alarm was raised when the pair were spotted drifting out to sea near Kingsbarns at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
Their cries for help were heard by a passer-by, who alerted the coastguard.
The pair were found about three-quarters of a mile north of Kingsbarns Beach after the Anstruther lifeboat was launched, as shown in a video from the RNLI (above).
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: “Arriving first, the D-class inshore lifeboat heard the cries for help and spotted the pair clinging to the one paddleboard.
“They were helped onboard the lifeboat and returned safely to Kingsbarns Beach.”
Volunteer crew member Thomas Bett, who was on board, praised the swift actions of the caller in raising the alarm.
Thomas said: “Clear information made it very straightforward for us to locate the two paddleboarders in the nick of time.
Wind blowing paddleboarders further away from shore
“With wind blowing the two further away from the shore, it was absolutely the correct thing to do in calling for help.
“We urge anyone who spots someone in difficulty at the coast to dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.
“If you are heading out on a paddleboard, we urge you to wear a floatation device and beware of offshore winds.”
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