Exhausted Sandbanks swimmer rescued by passing boat Published duration 9 July 2018

media caption Exhausted Sandbanks swimmer rescued by passing boat

An exhausted swimmer was rescued by a passing boat after getting into difficulty off the Dorset coast.

The man was spotted near the Sandbanks chain ferry by skipper Graham Johnstone after he noticed people on the shore pointing.

He said he saw the swimmer's head disappear under the water: "I turned back towards Sandbanks, saw the man and dragged him into the boat."

Poole RNLI said Mr Johnstone had "certainly saved a life".

The lifeboat was also called out to the man after he was reported in the water near the chain ferry at about 17:30 BST on Saturday.

RNLI volunteer, Jonathan Clark, said: "He was in real difficulty; getting him out of the water saved his life."

The crew transferred the unnamed man onto the lifeboat.

He was taken to North Haven steps where he was met by paramedics for treatment.

The condition of the man is unknown.