Selsey Coastguard called to string of emergencies across weekend

Crews worked in temperatures of up to 30 degrees as they were called to a number of incidents across a busy weekend with several hunts for missing people and calls to paddleboarder rescues.

Beginning the weekend at 6.30am on Saturday (August 13) the team were paged to assist Sussex Police with a large search for a missing person in Bognor Regis.

A Coastguard spokesperson said: “After an eight hour search in very hot and challenging conditions the team were stood down which police continued their searches and we awaited further information.

"The missing person was thankfully found later on.”

Two hours after returning, the team were then called to investigate personal items on the beach at Church Norton after a person called to say they had seen two paddleboarders go out to sea but not return.

While searching the crew was called to reports of two missing children at West Wittering.

At 6.30pm they were called to Gosport to support Hillhead and Portsmouth Coastguard with a ‘potential mud job’.

They were then tasked to Shoreham where a six-year-old girl was missing.

They ream ended their day at 10pm after spending 45 minutes searching for a paddleboarder who was reported to be ‘quite far out’ off of Seal Bay.

In a social media statement, a spokesperson for Selsey Coastguard said: “In an emergency out at sea, on the beach or along the coast, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.”