Lifeboat crews swapped the sea for the sand when they took on a political sporting team in a charity football match.

Volunteers from Caister and Hemsby Lifeboat, along with campaigners from Save Hemsby Coastline (SHC), went up against a team led by Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis for the friendly five-a-side game on the town's central beach.

The housing and planning minister was joined by his staff, volunteers from enterprise agency NWES, Norfolk county councillor Tom Garrod, BBC Radio Norfolk presenter Nick Conrad and his producer Edd Smith.

The match, in aid of both lifeboats and SHC, kicked off yesterday morning and drew a crowd of supporters who cheered on both teams.

Mr Lewis admitted playing on the sand was pretty tough but everyone involved had a good time.

'I run on the beach from Hemsby up to Winterton and back. Where I run down by the waterline is quite firm but when you start running around further up it's very, very heavy and more hard work. But it was good fun,' he added.

And although being 'well and truly beaten' 9-2 by the lifeboat men Mr Lewis said he had enjoyed an on-pitch victory.

'On the up side I did score a very good goal quite early on,' he added. 'Everybody played in the right spirit and really enjoyed it. At half time we all said 'why did we agree to do this' and at the end we were saying when can we do it again?'

Mr Lewis thanked the match supporters Jack Garrod from Norwich City FC Community Sports Foundation, who provided the pitch markings, goals, match balls and referee, Cycles Uk and NWES.

He now hopes to round up his team for another charity match in the spring.