Six children were rescued by a lifeboat crew last night when the tide cut them off as they played on the rocks.
The boys and girls, aged eight to 14, were playing near Warrior Square, St Leonards, when they found the sea swirling around them as the light faded.
A bus driver passing along the seafront road saw the youngsters in distress at around 7pm. He pulled over and raised the alarm.
Dover Coastguard alerted Hastings inshore lifeboat, led by helmsman Simon Hodgson, which brought them ashore just after 7.30pm.
A coastguard spokesman said: "It was one of those situations that could have turned nasty but thankfully didn't."
The children were named today as sisters Jo-Ann, Lucy and Rachel Gower and brothers and sisters Kirsty, Kayleigh and Kris Gibson.
Newly-installed Hastings RNLI coxswain Martin Phillips, who took over from long-serving Charlie Sharrod last month, said: "They were cold and wet, but other than that they were fine."
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