Tenby's new inshore lifeboat launched for its first rescue on Sunday after a crew member spotted a young man lying motionless in the sea just below The Paragon on the south side of the town.

He contacted the lifeboat operations manager and requested the immediate launch of the ILB, before running to the station himself asking other onlookers to call the coastguard.

The ILB was launched at 2.14 pm and was on scene within minutes.

The volunteer crew found the casualty had been recovered to an inaccessible part of the beach by two friends who had entered the water with him.

A member of the Tenby Coastguard Rescue Team, who had just arrived, assisted them with first aid. 

All three, aged in their early 20s, were recovered to the ILB and treated for hypothermia. One, barely conscious, was also given oxygen therapy.

The ILB returned to the harbour from where the casualty in the poorest condition was airlifted to hospital via the air ambulance, while the other two were treated by crew and paramedics, then evacuated by land ambulance. 

The three were on holiday in Tenby and were believed to be students at Cardiff University.