A lifeboat rescued two girls who were being blown out to sea clinging to a rubber ring.

Brighton lifeboat was launched after people on the Palace Pier spotted the 13-year-olds waving for help about three-quarters of a mile from the beach.

Neither of the girls, who were on a day trip from London, was injured.

The lifeboat was launched at 5.30pm yesterday.

Helmsman Steve Andrews warned of the dangers of inflatables, especially when there were offshore winds.

He said: "If nobody had seen them they would have been in trouble. They got on this inflatable and were being blown out to sea quite quickly."