COASTGUARDS rushed to help paddleboarders that were said to be in difficulty off Boscombe Beach this afternoon.

A Portland Coastguard helicopter was at the scene along with the RNLI after 4pm.

A coastguard spokesperson said: "There were eight paddleboarders in total. Two of them were a little tired and kept falling off their boards.

"All of them have been persuaded to leave the water as it is getting dark. Given the weather conditions and the time of day, it is safer to have them out of the water."

He added that some of the paddleboarders had made it ashore by themselves to Southbourne beach, while others had come in via the lifeboat.