THREE teenagers have been saved from drowning after getting into difficulty in the North Sea.

Lifeboats were called out at 2.50pm on Saturday to a broken down boat, near the beach at South Shields.

The lifeboat, with four volunteer crew members, sped to the scene where, as they approached, they could see several teenagers scrambling out of the water on to the beach.

One sharp-eyed crewman happened to look out to sea and caught sight of what he thought was a person around 700m from the shore.

When they investigated, they found a girl, believed to be aged around 14, floating just under the surface.

She was immediately brought on to the lifeboat and found to be conscious but extremely cold.

There were other casualties in the water unaccounted for so Cullercoats RNLI lifeboat took their casualty to South Shields ferry landing and other rescue craft were launched.

Members of Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade were also tasked by the Coastguard to assist on shore while a police helicopter searched the area.

As Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat approached the beach the crew were waved down and alerted to the two missing casualties, a girl and boy both aged 14, who were now on the beach but requiring immediate casualty care.

Once stable, the casualties were put in the lifeboat and also taken to South Shields ferry landing to be placed in the care of another paramedic crew and taken to hospital.

Ben Bradshaw, Cullercoats RNLI lifeboat helm, said: “We think the teenagers had been caught up in a rip current which dragged them out to sea.”