A WINDSURFER was taken to hospital after suffering injuries surfing off the North-East coast.

Lifeboats from Redcar were launched when a kitesurfer raised the alarm after finding the man injured in the water opposite the Redcar Beacon on the seafront.

Both RNLI lifeboats were called upon at 2.13pm after the alarm was raised by a member of the public who saw the kitesurfer attempting to bring the windsurfer to shore while carrying out resuscitation.

Two crew members from the Atlantic 85 class lifeboat Leicester Challenge III entered the sea and brought the windsurfer ashore and continued resuscitation.

An ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and the windsurfer was taken to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.

Dave Cocks, of Redcar RNLI, said: "When we got to the injured windsurfer, the kitesurfer was trying to carry out resuscitation, which is difficult in the water. Two members got into the water and helped get him ashore before continuing with the resuscitation until the ambulance arrived."