A woman was taken to hospital for further care after she was spotted 'in distress' in the sea at Lowestoft.

The East of England Ambulance Service and coastguard rescue officers from Lowestoft and Southwold were called out about 8pm last night (Monday) to the Esplanade in Lowestoft.

A spokesman for the Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard Rescue teams said they were alerted by Humber Coastguards that a member of public was 'in distress' in the water.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said an ambulance crew attended in under five minutes, followed by an ambulance officer, after reports a woman had been 'dragged from the water.'

The spokesman said: 'They treated a woman in her 50s who was conscious and breathing. She was taken to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston for further care.'

With the Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard rescue teams out on their Christmas meal, they 'responded immediately' as they were near to Lowestoft beach.

'The team arrived on scene as the casualty was being treated in the back of the ambulance that was just around the corner,' the spokesman for the coastguards said.

The team was stood down and were able to get back to their Christmas meal, with the spokesman adding: 'We are always on call, ready to help.'