Trio left battered and bruised by waves and rocks - as was the vessel that came to their aid.

SIDMOUTH Lifeboat needed repairs as rescuers plucked two children in peril - and an adult who’d tried to save them - from the sea.

The trio were left battered and bruised by waves and rocks, as was the vessel that came to their aid, as beach drama unfolded last Wednesday afternoon.

Minor damage to the lifeboat was fixed the following day and crew said this week: “The most important thing is to save lives.”

A panicking member of the public was praised for raising the alarm that two youngsters were in trouble near a rock island.

Lifeboat rescuers, returning to their Esplanade base from a previous callout, were able to respond immediately.

“It was very shallow water and they were getting bashed into the rocks by the waves,” said Sidmouth Lifeboat’s Mark Roden.

“Those rocks aren’t forgiving, that’s for sure.

“An adult who wanted to rescue the children had also got into difficulties himself.

“The response time to this crisis was crucial. Thanks to that member of the public we were able to launch and respond within a matter of seconds.”

Rescuers rushed to the children and adult’s aid by boat and in dry suits on foot.

“The water was very shallow around the rocks, but we had to get to those children,” said Mr Roden. “The most important thing is to save lives.”

The children and adult were picked up and taken to the lifeboat house where they received first aid.

“They were battered, bruised and cut by the barnacles, but nothing serious,” added Mr Roden, who warned of the perils of the town’s rock islands.

“People have got into serious trouble there. It’s quite a dangerous place given certain stages of the tide,” he added.

“There was some minor surface damage to the highly polished surface finish of the lifeboat’s structural hull.

“Repairs were completed immediately and the boat was ‘on-service’ throughout, meaning we remained available for call-out. The costs are thought to be in the hundreds rather than thousands. “