A TRAINING exercise turned into a real-life rescue for volunteers of Poole's Lifeboat station at the weekend.

Crews were on an exercise with the Coastguard rescue helicopter yesterday, Sunday, April 12, when they received reports of kayakers in trouble off Old Harry Rocks.

Conditions out in the bay were blustery, with a strong fresh south westerly wind hampering the kayakers’ progress.

The group of six - as well as an instructor - had ventured out from Knoll Beach earlier in the afternoon, but found themselves struggling against the conditions.

The kayaks had drifted out into the swell off Old Harry, making no headway.

A kayak instructor from another group alerted the Coastguard to their predicament.

Pilots of the Coastguard helicopter were the first at the scene before they directed the crew of the lifeboat to the location.

The lifeboat crew recovered the kayaks and five casualties safely on board, while a sixth kayaker who had attempted to make his own way back to Knoll Beach was also taken onboard after making little progress in the testing conditions.

With everyone accounted for and landed safely ashore, both lifeboats returned back to station, ready for service at 5pm.

Volunteer helmsman James Kilburn said: "With the strong offshore wind as soon as they were outside the shelter of Studland Bay it would have been extremely difficult to paddle back to shore."