Parents are being warned of the dangers of their children being swept out to sea on recreational flotation devices, such as rubber rings and li-lows.

It follows an incident this afternoon, in which a nine year-old boy was rescued from Peel Bay by a passing yacht.

The child was transferred to the town's lifeboat and returned to the shore for a checkup.

The boy was described as 'shaken up and cold' after his ordeal, but was passed fit by paramedics.

A spokesman for the RNLI in Peel said it was frightening to think how easily a child could be lost in such circumstances, particularly when there were strong winds blowing offshore.

The boy was dropped off at the beach at about 5pm.