A 10-year-old girl had to be rescued by the coastguard helicopter after being blown out to sea on an inflatable boat.

The incident happened in Reculver near Herne Bay on Sunday.

At 3.49pm, Whitstable RNLI was made aware that someone had got into trouble at sea.

Lifeboat helmsman Andy Williams recalled: “The reported location of the casualty was near to the end of our area and as always with this sort of incident there is great concern for the individuals involved.

“We made the best possible speed to the location.

“On arrival around 10-minutes after launching, we found that the coastguard helicopter had already located the occupant of the boat, a 10-year old girl, and winched her aboard the helicopter to safety.”

The child’s float is described as a small inflatable dinghy.

It was located three-quarters-of-a-mile off the coast.

The RNLI has now warned of the dangers of inflatable toys.

Rachel Goff, water safety advisor, said “With the summer months and the holiday season almost upon us and people heading for the beaches we cannot stress enough the dangers people need to be aware of when venturing on or into the water.

“Sunday’s incident with an inflatable highlights the risks involved in using such craft be they dinghies, beach toys or paddleboards.

“Our advice is that people must take note of the weather and tidal conditions before venturing on or into the sea and be prepared for changes in the weather which can occur quite quickly.”

She added that if the toys are used, they should be held with a line by someone on shore and children should never be left unsupervised.

“By taking a few simple precautions we hope that all can enjoy a happy day at the beach rather than it end in a possible tragedy,” she concluded.