by Adam Williams

A busy Herne Bay beach was cleared on Sunday afternoon as emergency services dealt with an accident out to sea.

The Kent Air Ambulance landed on the seafront, close to the town’s clocktower, after a man and a woman were injured in a collision just before 2pm.

A male jet ski rider had collided with a 16ft semi-inflatable motor rib boat near to the Old Neptune Jetty.

The man sustained injuries to his leg and head and slipped in and out of conciousness while he was treated on the beach. The woman complained of minor back pain and injuries to her shoulders and arms.

Air ambulance paramedics treated the pair at the scene, with the help of land ambulance crews and coastguard officers, who assisted in clearing the busy beach.

Colin Ingram, sector manager for north Kent coastguard, said: "We were called in to assist on the ground after information had been passed onto us by both the Kent Air Ambulance and South East Coast Ambulance Service.

"They needed our help in dispersing the crowds, while some of our officers also helped treat the casualties."

The pair, not thought to be from the local area, were eventually taken to the QEQM Hospital in Margate by land ambulance around 2.30pm. Their injuries were described as non-life threatening.

Police spokesman Jon Green added: "I can confirm our officers attended the scene to offer assistance, but the situation was well under the control of paramedics and coastguard crews.

"I don’t believe either the man of the woman’s injuries were life threatening."