Two teenagers who sailed a dinghy down a river and got into difficulty sparked a major alert.

The pair needed rescuing after getting into trouble on the River Stour near Blandford yesterday.

A major rescue operation was launched, and firefighters from Sturminster Newton and Sherborne were among the crews which were called to help.

A spokesman for Sturminster Newton Fire Station said luckily the pair managed to scramble to safety and the crews only needed to retrieve the dinghy from the water.

Crews urge people to think before going near rivers and streams.