COASTGUARDS have issued a warning about using lifejackets after two men had an ''extraordinarily lucky'' escape when their boat sank without warning in the North Sea.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the two men found themselves in the water off the North Yorkshire coast when their leisure craft hit something and sank within 45 seconds.

But they were rescued after 90 minutes when they were found by a passing angling boat.

Coastguards said only one of the men was wearing a lifejacket.

The 999 call from a position about mile from Hunt Cliff, near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, was received just before 9am this morning.

The Staithes Inshore Lifeboat and the RNLI lifeboat from Redcar were sent to the scene.

A coastguard rescue team from Staithes was sent to prepare for the arrival of the men back on shore and Skinningrove coastguard rescue team was sent to monitor the incident from Hunt Cliff.

The two men were brought back to Staithes in a lifeboat and were transferred to the James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough, to be checked for possible hypothermia, cold water shock and secondary drowning, an MCA spokesman said.

Mike Puplett, Watch Manager at Humber Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said: ''These two men were extraordinarily lucky.

''Not only did another boat happen upon them but with just one lifejacket between them they managed to stay afloat for 90 minutes.

''Lifejackets are useless unless worn and incidents like this show why. Boats do sink without warning and the MCA recommends that lifejackets should be worn at all times while on deck.

''I'd like to thank the passing angling boat for their assistance, they were lifesavers today.''