A 22-year-old woman was rescued from the sea today at Great Yarmouth thanks to a concerned passer-by raising the alarm and contacting the coastguard.

Peter Wheeler, watch manager at Great Yarmouth, said the call could have saved the young woman's life and the successful rescue showed just how important it is for members of the public to get in touch with the coastguard if they see anybody in difficulty.

Mr Wheeler said the coastguards took a call from a woman on the seafront near the Iron Duke pub in North Denes shortly before 2pm who said she had seen a woman walking into the sea and she was concerned because of the awful weather conditions.

Mr Wheeler said: 'We sent the inshore lifeboats from Gorleston and Caister. Fortunately the Caister lifeboat was able to spot the young woman. She was about 200 yards offshore and the crew was able to bring her back to safety.

'She was hypothermic and taken to the James Paget Hospital by ambulance.'

Mr Wheeler said the woman was out of the water by 2.05pm, and he stressed how important the quick response was.

'The response was very quick and it is only due to that response that she is still alive. Had they not spotted her she probably would not have survived another 10 minutes,' he said.

'It shows just how important calls from members of the public are.'

Also just before 2pm today, coastguards were called to help the ambulance service reach a man who had broken his ankle aboard a hire craft at the Berney Arms near Great Yarmouth.

The coastguard from Winterton and Gorleston went to help and the man was taken to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston.

• To contact the coastguard in an emergency people should call 999 and ask for the coastguard.