A MAJOR rescue operation was launched after an upside-down kayak was spotted drifting out through the entrance of Poole Harbour off Sandbanks.

Poole lifeboat, police and the Poole coastguard rescue team were all called to reports that a kayaker was in distress just after 5pm yesterday.

Multiple 999 calls had been made and when crews arrived their discovered that a paddleboarder had gone to the person's aid and helped them to shore.

While on the water they also had to speak to paddleboards who had gathered on Hook Sands, a sand bar outside the entrance to Poole Harbour.

Now those involved have urged people to abide by the lockdown restrictions and to take exercise near their homes.

The public has been told not to go out on to the water or to swim.

Poole lifeboat volunteer, DLA (Deputy Launch Authority) Paul Glatzel said: "No kayaker, paddleboarder or boater goes afloat with the expectation or intention to get into trouble, but things do go wrong unexpectedly sometimes.

"Poole Lifeboat Station will always respond to requests for assistance, but we would ask people to bear in mind that when we do launch that our volunteer crews cannot socially distance on the lifeboats which increases the risk to them and to their families.

"This is the same for the volunteer coastguard teams and the police and ambulance crews that may attend. We ask that people respect the request to Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives."

Conditions in Poole Bay were flat and calm and rescue organisations fear more people will break the rules in the coming days.

Piers Stanbury of HM Coastguard added: "We will always respond to distress calls but we would remind people that they really need to consider carefully what they do.

"Please exercise locally - stretching our resources instead of your legs could put our frontline responders at risk and put pressure on NHS services.

"We’ve got this far, let’s continue the good work."

The kayaker and paddleboarders were all spoken to by police and told to go home.