AN exhaustive air sea rescue search was launched yesterday when a kite from a surf board was spotted floating out to sea.

Four lifeboats, two helicopters and two coastguard teams searched sea and shore in the Redcar area in vain for two hours, yesterday.

The search was well under way when a would-be rescuer - a member of the Tees-mouth Lifeboat - remembered a local surfer had lost his kite and not reported the loss.

A telephone call to enthusiast Justin Meadows established it was his lost kite which had sparked the search, estimated to have cost £20,000.

A Coastguard spokesman said: "It's ridiculous. We have put the lives of helicopter and lifeboat crews and coastguards at risk for the sake of one man, while he was sitting with his feet up, safe at home.''

Mr Meadows who lives at Normanby, near Middlesbrough, could not be contacted last night.