Sea ordeal pair are fine, says dad

The father of two Shropshire holidaymakers plucked to safety after they were caught in a riptide off the Cornish coast today said they were all fine after their ordeal. John Morris spoke to his daughter early today.Mr Morris, from Diddlebury, near Ludlow, said his daughter Stephanie reassured him that they were all okay.

He said they were surprised to find lots of messages on their mobiles from worried friends and family after Monday's drama.

Mr Morris said: "They were completely unaware of what was going on. They are all fine.

"They are actually coming home later on today."

His sons, Stuart and Edward were holidaying in Cornwall with their sister Stephanie and three friends when five of the group got into difficulties off Porth beach in Newquay about 6.20pm.

Two of the group, which included Stuart and Stephanie, went for a swim and got caught in a current. Three others leapt in to help them.

Newquay coastguards helped two members of the group who were chest deep in water as they made their way to shore.

But the other three were found clinging to rocks at Porth Island after they were swept out to sea. Two Newquay RNLI lifeboats were launched and battled the waves to rescue the three.

Martin Leslie, coastguard officer with the Falmouth Coastguard had said the three trapped on the rocks were lucky not to have been swept away.