LIFEGUARDS said a child narrowly escaped drowning and several other people had been rescued as rip currents and strong surf hit the North Yorkshire coast.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeguards in Scarborough said it had proved challenging to rescue the boy, who had been bodyboarding and had got stuck in strong currents.

A spokesman for the charity said two of the boy's friends were washed to safety as lifeguard Carl Walsh battled through rip currents to get the boy to safety.

RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, James Turner, said: "The waves were repeatedly slamming the youngster under the surface and he was exhausted and close to drowning.

"The swift actions of the RNLI lifeguard team undoubtedly saved his life."