Flout of their depth! Covidiot trio spark 45-man coast guard rescue operation after getting cut off by the tide during lockdown-breaching Dorset cliff walk

A major rescue operation involving 45 people was launched after three covidiots who broke lockdown rules to travel 110 miles for a day out at the coast were cut off by the tide.  

The trio were walking along the foot of the cliffs in Dorset where they then became stuck in the sea.

One of the three men, aged in their early 20s, had to swim around the headland of Old Harry Rocks to get back to shore at Studland to raise the alarm.

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A lifeboat crew approach two men on the cliff ledge, circled, as part of a major rescue operation in Dorset

The police and coastguard helicopters were scrambled to search for the two other men who had last been seen treading water.

They were joined by a lifeboat crew, two coastguard teams, two ambulances and eight police officers with a drone.

The two men had managed to climb 4ft up to a rocky ledge to escape the water and were spotted by the crew of the Swanage lifeboat.They were taken back to shore where they were checked for immersion in cold water before they were spoken to by police.

It turned out the three men were from Slough, Berks, and had come to the seaside to celebrate one of their birthdays.

They were issued with a fine for breaching Covid-19 lockdown guidelines.

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Some 45 emergency service workers had to be scrambled to help rescue the three men yesterday

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One of the three men, aged in their early 20s, had to swim around the headland of Old Harry Rocks to get back to shore at Studland to raise the alarm

Ian Brown, of the Swanage Coastguard, said: 'They were three young men and it was one of their birthdays so they decided to come to Dorset for a walk at the seaside.

'It was low tide and they walked around to Old Harry Rocks where they were cut off. It was lucky that the water was so still.

'One got back to shore to get help and the other two had to swim to reach a place of safety on the cliffs.

'They were very cold by the time they were rescued.

'The three were very lucky to have been located safely.

'If they had been local you might understand it but they were from Slough and shouldn't have been in Dorset at all.

'There would have been 45 people involved in the rescue including all the control room staff of the emergency services. A great number of unimpressed people were put at risk because of their actions.'