A man and a child he was carrying on his back were nearly swept into the sea by a huge wave on the Isle of Wight.

They were filmed walking on the seafront at Freshwater during stormy weather at the weekend.

A wave knocked the man off his feet and dragged him and the child towards the sea as onlookers rushed to help.

Freshwater Independent Lifeboat coxwain Tony Moore said the footage was "upsetting" and called for warning signs to be posted on the Isle of Wight coast.

"Watch it from a distance - there's no need to go right on the seafront.

"You've got to respect the sea - the power is amazing and it's so dangerous," he added.

RNLI community safety partner Guy Addington said: "People need to be aware that during strong winds parts of our coastline can be treacherous, with a higher risk of large waves sweeping people off their feet and resulting in them being dragged into the sea."

The charity said anyone finding themselves in the water unexpectedly should relax and float on their backs to catch their breath.

Anyone who sees someone else in danger in the water should dial 999 and, if possible, throw something that floats or that they can hold on to - but should not enter the water.