A MAN had to be airlifted to hospital after he fell off his kayak near Poole.

The Coastguard was called around 8.40pm on Friday evening.

The man, who is in his 40s, was rescued by the RNLI lifeboat team and was then transferred to Dorset County Hospital by the Coastguard helicopter as he had hypothermia.

A statement from Poole Inshore Lifeboat said: "The kayaker had been in the water for just under an hour and light was fading, the report said that he was a mile out, South East of the harbour entrance.

"The Inshore Lifeboat was swiftly on scene. The casualty was hanging on to his kayak, he was extremely cold as he had been in the water for some time.
 
"The volunteers administered first aid and headed urgently back, the casualty was in the first stages of hypothermia.

"Meanwhile, Solent Coastguard had tasked the rescue helicopter 106,
the lifeboat  crew worked alongside the helicopter and transferred the casualty aboard by winching him off the lifeboat, he was immediately taken to hospital."
 
The lifeboat then found the casualties’ kayak and towed it back to the shore.