'We are lucky to be alive'.

That's the view of two men who were plucked from the sea in a dramatic rescue, part of which was caught in an RNLI video.

The pair can credit floating on their back whilst they waited for help as saving their lives.

As reported, the 'float to live' message is one the RNLI is promoting as it launched its summer water safety campaign from Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station this week.

It comes ahead of what is expected to be a very busy half term and Platinum Jubilee weekend at the coast.

The Lyme RNLI rescue last November of Dave Henderson and Brian Harding, who were flung into the water after their boat capsized when it was hit by a freak wave, is being highlighted as part of the campaign.

Footage of the rescue has been released by the RNLI. It shows Brian floating in the water before being spotted and hauled on board the lifeboat.

Dave, 52, of Ilminster, and Brian, 73, from Chard, had been on a fishing trip on the River Axe near Axmouth and were heading back to shore when disaster struck.

Once in the water, they could feel the current from the river taking them out to sea. They both knew they couldn’t swim long enough or hard enough to make it back to shore.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

Brian and Dave have told of their rescue

Dave, who has a heart condition, recalled seeing an RNLI poster in his local yacht club which explained that if you get into difficulty in the water, you should float to live: lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. Using this advice, he lay on his back and floated whilst he waited for help to arrive. Brian did the same.

Luckily, a fisherman who was taking photos of the sunset saw what happened and raised the alarm and Lyme lifeboat went to their aid.

Dave said: "I was in the water for 20 or 30 minutes. I’ve never been in the water like that so I was concentrating on what I needed to do before my brain started shutting down, because I knew I was at risk of hyperthermia.

"I feel exceedingly lucky to be alive. There were so many things that were important to our rescue, from the onlooker on the beach who knew what to do and called 999 and asked for Coastguard, to the speed the RNLI were able to launch. I’m also very grateful I saw that RNLI poster so many times that I instinctively knew to float to live.’

Brian had even more difficulty in the water because his leg was in a plaster cast. At first, he also tried to swim and fight the current but it was too hard.

He said: "I could feel the current from the river was taking me right out, it must have been about half a mile out. I tried to swim and fight the current, but it wasn’t possible. I had no option other than to start floating on my back. The water was freezing and it was really dark. I’m so grateful to the RNLI who arrived on the scene and rescued us. I wouldn’t be here today without them."

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

The stricken boat               Picture: Beer Coastguard Rescue Team

There were 277 deaths in the UK from accidental drownings across inland and coastal locations last year, an increase of 23 from the previous year. It is said that 40 per cent of people who died had no intention of entering the water, such as those walking and slipping, being cut off by the tide, or swept out by waves.

Gabbi Batchelor, Water Safety Education Manager at the RNLI said: “We are expecting the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend and the half-term holidays to be incredibly busy at the coast. We want everyone to enjoy their trip but we also want to make sure people stay safe and know what to do in an emergency.

“It is important that anyone visiting the coast understands the risks of the environment. It can be very unpredictable, particularly during early summer when the risk of cold water shock significantly increases, as air temperatures warm up but water temperatures remain dangerously cold.

“If you get into trouble in the water, float to live: lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 for the Coastguard.”

The RNLI is also reminding people to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags this summer.