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Four emergency rescuers were injured bravely battling Blackpool's stormy seas to drag a person out of the water - after freak waves swamped an RNLI boat. The alert was raised in the early hours of Friday when someone was spotted "struggling" 30 metres out to sea in high waves close to Central Pier in the Lancashire seaside resort.

The HM Coastguard, along with Lancashire Police and North West Ambulance Service paramedics, raced to the scene, launched the inshore lifeboat, and dispatched a helicopter. But when a freak wave swamped the boat, it threw one of the crew members backwards the full length into the helmsman, causing injury and requiring an immediate abort of the lifeboat operation.

Instead, rescuers entered the water tethered to each other and were able to rescue the casualty after "an extremely challenging push" and "swallowing a large amount of seawater".

Along with the helmsman, three coastguards who entered the water to carry out the rescue suffered from water ingestion, mild hypothermia, and exhaustion and one had an ankle injury.

The casualty was later dragged back to the shore with the support of rescue teams and transferred to the care of paramedics at the scene. Two people were transferred to hospital.

Pictures from the scene showed a number of emergency services vehicles, including ambulances and coastguard vehicles, parked on the shore.

HM Coastguard said that within minutes of the search, a crew member saw a member of the public "struggling with the waves" around 30 metres out at sea and "at the mercy of the tidal currents."

They said: "It was windy with significant and strong waves. We'd had a report of a possible sighting just off Central Pier so the Blackpool ILB launched and we sent rescuers from our team and Lytham down to the surfline to support.

"It was an extremely challenging launch for the boat crew, and the boat got hit by several big waves, one of which swamped the boat, throwing one of the crew members backwards the full length into the helmsman, causing injury and requiring an immediate abort of the operation and a recovery of the ILB.

"One team of Coastguards on the beach continued to search South and another searched North.

"Within a few minutes the North team issued an immediate call on the radio to state the casualty had been spotted struggling in the waves about 30m out.

"Already equipped with water rescue personal protective equipment one of our coastguard rescue officers entered the water tethered to another to effect an immediate rescue.

"It was an extremely challenging push to reach the casualty he had to push and swim through the same waves that had just hindered the inshore lifeboat and chase the casualty, who was at the mercy of the tidal currents.

"Exhausted and having already swallowed a large amount of seawater, with a last push of energy, he reached the casualty, took hold and gave the signal to be pulled back to shore."

As the shallows were reached though, the rescuer realised he was "struggling to get their footing", so two more crew members had to enter the water to pull them back to safety.

The statement continued: "The injured lifeboat crewmember was already receiving care in another ambulance.

"The three Coastguards who had entered the water were suffering from water ingestion, mild hypothermia, exhaustion and one suspected sprained/broken ankle.

"They were taken into the boathouse to recover and receive assessment from paramedics. It was determined that two would need to go to hospital, as well as the lifeboat crewman, for further assessment."

It is understood all are now at home recovering.

A coastguard spokesman said it was "an extremely challenging and technical rescue" which highlighted what could be achieved by working together and "how far we are all willing to go to perform our duty".