Witnesses left 'speechless' as three kids swept out to sea on paddleboard

Witnesses were left "speechless" as they watched three children on a paddle board get swept out to sea by strong winds in the aftermath of Storm Lilian.

A former coastguard was at Treath Yr Ora beach near Moelfre, Anglesey, on Friday afternoon when the horrifying incident unfolded.

The ex-coastguard, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled watching a group three children and one adult as they prepared to enter the sea on a single paddle board, without any buoyancy aids. The wind was blowing off-shore at speeds of up to 40mph following the storm, which struck the UK on Friday morning, he said.

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He said he had a conversation with the paddle boarder to warn him about the potential dangers of going out on the sea, but the man assured him that he was "experienced and knew what he was doing".

Moments after entering the water, the group found themselves in trouble. A man on a second paddle board entered the water to try and help them.

The former coastguard told North Wales Live: "They disappeared towards the horizon nearly out of sight towards the dangerous rocks of Ynys Dulas. They were in great distress and danger."

He said he alerted the coastguard, triggering a rescue operation involving the coastguard team and Moelfre lifeboat station, who dispatched their inshore boat. The lifeboat crew managed to rescue the children and one adult, bringing them back to shore at Traeth Yr Ora.

The ex-coastguard said the children were "distraught, very cold and very frightened", adding that the man was subsequently spoken to by the police and coastguard. Moelfre Lifeboat issued a statement saying it was "not the day to go paddle