A 71-year-old man was taken to hospital with suspected hypothermia after he was found clinging to an inflatable boat off Southbourne beach.

The coastguard team was called to the scene by the National Maritime Operations Centre at 2.09pm on Thursday after they received three different reports from the public.

Southbourne Coastguard said the man was not wearing a lifejacket and had no means of making a distress call.

The casualty was recovered by the RNLI Mudeford lifeboat before being taken to Mudeford Quay where he was transferred into an ambulance.

South Western Ambulance Service said they were requested at 2.30pm and sent a rapid response vehicle and ambulance crew to the scene.

The man was then transported to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.