Surfers rescue teen girl swept into rip current

A teenage girl was dramatically rescued from the sea at Newquay's Fistral Beach after falling from rocks into the water.

Danny Riley, 27, and fellow surfer Rusty, also 27, were catching waves near the beach bar at about 20:00 BST on Saturday when they heard cries for help.

The girl, believed to be about 15 or 16 years old, suffered scrapes from the rocks but was otherwise unharmed.

Her parents were waiting on the beach and were reunited with her shortly after the rescue.

"We spotted someone waving and screaming," said Mr Riley from Trewint.

"At first we thought it was just someone swimming, but it was a really sketchy spot."

The pair paddled over and found the girl struggling in the water near the gully, a rocky area notorious for strong currents.

"She must have fallen off the rocks and got stuck in a rip," said Mr Riley.

"She still had her Crocs in her hands."

Rusty managed to get the girl onto his board while Mr Riley helped push them toward shore.

"Rusty was grabbing the back of my leg as I paddled. It was all a bit manic," he said.

"Probably not a perfect rescue, but we got there in the end."

"She was in a real panic," said Mr Riley. "It's hard to stay calm if you're not used to that environment.

"We were just lucky to be in the right place at the right time."

He hopes the incident raises awareness of the potential dangers of the sea.

"People who aren't familiar with the beach need to be more cautious," he said.

"These things can happen fast. She was in a real panic.

"Even though you can see the shore, being out at sea in unfamiliar territory can be pretty scary.

"I'm just glad it turned out the way it did."

DJ and surfer Rusty, from Newquay, said: "It was chaotic, but I've had a few scare moments myself so that helped me stay calm.

"She was being thrown over the rocks like being in a washing machine.

"People just don't realise how the conditions can change so quickly, from peaceful to carnage in a minute."

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