Boy's sea rescue captured on live TV report
TV viewers were given a stark reminder of the dangers of the sea when a boy became stranded live on air.
BBC journalist Debbie Tubby was reporting from Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk when cameras captured the 13-year-old getting cut-off on Friday.
People watching Look East were able to look on in real time as the beach-goer was loaded on to a lifeboat.
Presenter Susie Fowler-Watt said the incident had a "happy ending" as the boy was brought ashore.
It happened shortly after the regional news show started airing at 18:30 BST.
The BBC was broadcasting live from the popular beach after 40 people were cut-off by the tide within two hours the previous weekend.
Almost three minutes into the report, cameras cut to show the boy sitting on sand while surrounded by water.
"You might be able to see a boy who's actually stuck on the sand bar out several metres away from me," said Tubby, live on air.
"The RNLI has been launched to try and get him so hopefully we'll get him back safe and sound."
'Slightly embarrassed'
The programme continued with other reports before returning to Tubby about nine minutes later.
Footage showed the sand had all-but-disappeared and the boy was being helped by an RNLI crew.
Qays Najm/BBCSpeaking from the studio in Norwich, presenter Fowler-Watt said: "This is what we were talking about earlier, how precarious it can become very quickly.
"Luckily, the RNLI has reached the boy and he looks like he's safely on the boat there, so a happy ending in that particular scenario."
The boy's mother later told Tubby she was grateful for the help he received, but admitted he should be "slightly embarrassed".
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