A BROTHER and sister were rescued by New Brighton Lifeboat on Sunday in a busy morning for the crew.

The 15-year-old girl who has a heart condition and her 14-year-old brother were described as very lucky after the lifeboat reached them just in time.

The pair were walking on Crosby beach when the tide cut them off and the strong current pulled them out to sea.

Members of the public and beach lifeguards were able to pull the boy to safety on the beach while the lifeboat crew picked up the girl 300 yards from shore.

New Brighton Lifeboat operations manager Tony Clare said: "We were called out on Sunday morning at 11.13am by the coastguard. The girl is very lucky. She had been under water a couple of times and the boat just got to her in time.

"We gave her oxygen and treated her for hypothermia.

"We landed at New Brighton where an ambulance was waiting to take her to Arrowe Park Hospital."

The crew were already assembled when they received the emergency call from the coastguard after an earlier call out.

After rescuing the teenage girl the crew set out again to help a boat which was in trouble.

"We are seeing a record number of call-outs this year with 69 so far, said Mr Clare. "We usually get around 63 in a 12-month period."