COASTGUARDS rescued ten people from an island after the party became cut off by the rising tide.

Humber Coastguard said a woman who spoke “very broken English” called 999 at about 3.55pm on Sunday from St Mary’s Island, off the North-East coast near Whitley Bay.

The lifeboat arrived to find that ten people, including a young child and a dog, had been cut off on the island.

The group included eight people from Eastern Europe who spoke no English, and a couple from North America.

A spokesman for Humber Coastguard said: “They had been caught out by the tide as they sat on the far side of the Island enjoying the beautiful autumnal afternoon.

“The lifeboat landed all the casualties onto a small beach opposite the Island where they were met by brigade members who issued suitable safety advice before all rescue units then returned to their respective stations.”