A kite surfer who drifted out to sea after the wind changed direction was rescued when spotted from the shore.

He ditched his kite and tried to swim back to land on the surfboard, but after 20 minutes he realised he was being pulled further out.

Simon Kral, 29, of Country Lane, Lancing, said: "Luckily the lifeguard on shore spotted me and called for the lifeboat.

"I was worried at one point because the wind and tide were dragging me further and further out and it was taking forever to get in as I was not really getting anywhere. Luckily they came and got me."

Simon, who works as a relief care officer at the St Giles Centre for disabled children, said: "It was brilliant they spotted me and I'm very grateful."

Brian Fountain, harbourmaster at Shoreham, said kite surfing was gaining in popularity but there were not the necessary resources to make it safer.

He said: "If you have a boat, a surfboard or a windsurf board, you can put yourself on the water in complete ignorance of the conditions.

"It can be very dangerous on the water and, with the equipment being relatively cheap to get hold of, people can quickly get into trouble."