A KITE surfer plucked from the sea has thanked the lifeboat team who saved him.

Steven Wood, of Kensington Gardens, Darlington, was surfing off the coast of Coatham Bay, Redcar, when he got into trouble on Saturday afternoon.

Coastguards were called and the new Redcar lifeboat was scrambled to rescue him.

The lifeboat crew first found Mr Wood's sail and then found him clinging to his board after trying for 30 minutes to swim ashore.

He said: "I was surfing when the wind dropped and I was struggling to get the kite back up, which took a lot of my energy. When the wind finally picked up, it was in the opposite direction so I got blown further out.

"I detached the sail and decided to swim, but the tide was going out so I couldn't make any headway.

"Luckily, someone had spotted me and called the coastguard and once the lifeboat was out it soon found me.

"I wasn't injured, but I was really exhausted and very glad to see the lifeboat crew. I can't thank them enough for what they did. It is good to know they are there if you do get into trouble."

Mr Wood has been buggy surfing for three years but only took up kite surfing a few months ago.

He added: "I was fine after the event and managed to get myself and my board out of the lifeboat myself.

"This kind of thing is a hazard of the sport, though you don't often need rescuing, and I am looking forward to getting back to it."