A kite surfer sparked a safety drama when he was spotted struggling on a sandbank off Lowestoft.
Concerned onlookers on the South Beach at Lowestoft raised fears for the safety of the solo kite surfer, who appeared to be in trouble having reached the sandbank.
They called the UK Coastguard, which alerted Lowestoft Lifeboat and the town's Coastguard rescue officers. Lifeboat deputy second coxswain Michael Robbins said: 'We launched our relief lifeboat, John Metters, shortly after 6pm on Tuesday, April 9 and soon reached the sandbank opposite to Rectory Road in Lowestoft.
'It was quite choppy with waves breaking over the shallow sand bar and our volunteer crew quickly spotted an abandoned kite that we recovered with a boathook.
'Meanwhile we learnt from the UK Coastguard that the surfer had managed to free himself from his kite and abandoned it before swimming ashore.'
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