Beer-carrying man rescued from the sea at Redcar

A man carrying a glass of beer has been rescued from the sea, prompting a warning from the RNLI about the danger of drinking around water.

The alarm was raised when he was spotted with his drink, fully-clothed and chest-deep in the surf off Redcar.

A UK Coastguard patrol and the Redcar RNLI lifeboat were called to the scene, just before 16:00 BST on Saturday.

They managed to persuade him to wade back to the shore, where he was met by the police and given suitable advice.

The RNLI warns that about one in eight coastal deaths in the UK involve alcohol.

Dave Cocks, from Redcar RNLI, said: "All too often we hear of people who drown despite never intending to enter the water.

"Slips, trips and falls are common and many alcohol-related accidents begin near, rather than in, the water."