A YOUNG woman screamed for help as she was stranded under Brighton Palace Pier tonight.

The woman and a man became trapped in the water beneath the structure, and people noticed they were in trouble at about 8pm.

Police and Coastguard crews were called out to rescue them as dozens lined the pier and watched from the beach as the drama unfolded.

Jannick Fisher and Carmen Encina were walking along the pier when they noticed the couple.

Ms Encina said: “They were in their clothes. They didn’t look like they were swimming.

“There was a man and a woman – she started screaming ‘help’ and somebody made a call for them to be rescued.

“At first we thought they were just out swimming, then we saw them and she started screaming.”

Others reported seeing the flashing lights of ambulances, police cars and the Coastguard crews as they gathered by the pier ready to help.

At one point at least seven paramedics were at the scene.

One onlooker said: “The woman looked really young.

“She was standing on one of the pillars waiting to be rescued.

“It looked like they couldn’t get to her because the tide was out, so it was harder for the boat.”

A Coastguard spokeswoman told The Argus the Brighton lifeboat and Shoreham Coastguard rescue teams were called out at about 8.20pm, and were still working to ensure everybody was safe when the paper went to print.

She said at 9.30pm at least one of the casualties was being taken to hospital.

They both received medical treatment at the scene.

The spokeswoman said the extent of the injuries were unknown.

She said the couple were both “conscious, walking and talking”.

The Coastguard helicopter was called out but the casualties had been rescued before it arrived.

A police spokesman said: “We were called at 8.20pm to assist the Coastguard after a woman reported that her friend had been paddling on the sea shore, and got a little bit far out.

“That’s when the coastguard was called.

"As the friend went in to help they got into difficulty by the Brighton Palace Pier.

“They weren’t very good swimmers and got a bit distressed. They were pulled out of the water by the Coastguard.

“Paramedics were there to check them over. They had no life-threatening injuries.”