Two teenagers were rescued after getting lost for six hours on Sheppey.

The boys called the Coastguard after becoming disorientated on the island as they wandered around for hours.

The pair, aged 16 and 17, have now been reunited with their parents after a large-scale search involving a lifeboat, helicopter and coastguard rescue team.

Thames Coastguard received the 999 call at 9.30pm last night from the two boys, who were staying with family on the island.

They told rescuers they had been wandering for six hours, and had stopped to ask people for directions, but had become totally disorientated and could give little information on their location except to say that they were on a beach at the base of some cliffs.

They also gave the description of an emergency marker they had passed some hours before.

Sheppey Coastguard Rescue Team was dispatched, together with the Whitstable RNLI Lifeboat.

The Rescue Helicopter from RAF Wattisham was also scrambled, and quickly located the boys.

Thames Coastguard watch manager Aimee Rampton, said: "This was a particularly challenging incident, as the only information the two boys could provide us with was the name of the island they were staying on.

"With no indication of their location, we had to launch an immediate search for the teenagers as they had become stranded on what we now know was Leysdown Beach, with the tide coming in around them in the darkness, having been walking around for several hours.

"The boys were wet and cold and were very relieved to be found by the helicopter - the next challenge being for the coastguard rescue officers to try and find out where they were staying.

"Thankfully, at 10.55 pm the coastguard rescue team were able to locate their chalet and reunite them with their parents."