TEENAGE girls who plunged into the icy River Stour when their rowing boats capsized are lucky to be alive after a major rescue operation in Bournemouth.

Ten youngsters aged around 16, along with one adult on a safety boat, toppled into the River Stour in snowy conditions near Iford Bridge on Saturday.

The accident prompted a huge response from the emergency services with numerous police, fire, ambulance, RNLI and coastguard crews in attendance.

Two helicopters, one police and one coastguard, were also circling above the scene of the incident.

They were called just after 11.20am to reports that two rowing boats, each with four rowers and one coxswain, and a safety boat with one adult on board had capsized.

Some had managed to scramble to safety up the bank but others, some clinging to trees overhanging the river, had to be rescued.

They were all taken to hospital for a check-up but none were seriously hurt. Many were suffering from the effects of the cold.

The girls are members of a local rowing club and were thought to be involved in a training session.

Inspector David Parr, police incident commander, said the incident was a "freak accident" but said it will be followed up with the rowing club and any safety concerns addressed.

One of the rowing boats capsized first, followed by the safety boat which became "swamped" when it went to the aid of the teenagers. The second rowing boat capsized shortly afterwards.

Insp Parr said it was quickly established that all 11 people were safe but searches continued in case anyone else had entered the water in a bid to help them. The search was stood down at 1pm.

Station manager Stuart Gillion of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said specialist technical rescue units attended the scene.

Volunteer coastguards from Southbourne and Lymington also attended the incident.

Emergency services vehicles involved were parked in Old Bridge Road, which runs from Christchurch Road down to the river, near the Iford Bridge pub.

The incident caused traffic delays in the surrounding area with many people stopping to see what was going on.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "We were called at 11.21am by the fire service to an incident at Iford Bridge in Christchurch.

"Three rowing boats had overturned and the occupants, mainly teenage girls, had ended up in the water.

"Emergency services attended the scene and it is believed everyone was safely rescued or made their way onto land of their own accord."

A spokesperson for RNLI Mudeford said: "When we arrived at the location we found an upturned support boat and four persons on the river bank wet, cold and appearing to be in a confused state and very concerned for the other members of their group. 

"We then proceeded upstream where we discovered three more of the group ashore and two capsized rowing boats.

"The situation was confused and we struggled to get accurate numbers of people involved in the incident. 

"Knowing that the people ashore were safe we left a crewman with the group and commenced a thorough search of the immediate area for any persons unaccounted for. 

"During that search we received information that all casualties were accounted for so we then ended our search and changed our tasking to recover equipment and the three casualty vessels."