ROYAL Navy students from the North-East became involved in a real-life sea rescue while on a training drill in Scotland.

The group had been carrying out rescue exercises on Loch Ness and were at the Caledonian Canal, in Inverness, when they saw men in trouble in the water.

The 11 Newcastle and Durham university students, all members of the Northumbrian University Royal Navy Unit, were on board Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Example.

One of the men was swimming naked in the canal when he got into difficulties in the cold water.

Two of the others, including a passer-by, are believed to have been trying to help him.

Leading marine engineering mechanic Paul Lane and Newcastle University student Matt Gaskin, 20, manned an inflatable dinghy to reach the four.

Mr Gaskin said: "We managed to get the guy that was struggling the most into the boat. He was naked and really weak. Then we got the other guys out of the water.

"They were drunk and one of them actually threw up over me."

All four were taken aboard the Example to be warmed and given initial treatment until ambulance staff arrived. Three local men were taken to hospital and later released.