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Dramatic sea rescue
A late night swimmer has been rescued from the sea under Eastbourne Pier after getting into difficulty.
The 28-year-old man had decided to go for a swim at 10.30pm on Thursday.
It is understood the man had been drinking earlier in the evening.
It appears the man got into difficulty in the force six winds that were battering Eastbourne.
The currents in the water became too strong for the swimmer who took refuge on the support structures underneath the pier.
Walkers on the lower promenade noticed the man's clothes on the beach and alerted the coastguard.
The Eastbourne Coastguard Rescue team and both inshore and all-weather Eastbourne RNLI lifeboats were called into action.
Once on scene the man was found clinging to the pier.
A ladder was borrowed from Eastbourne Pier and Eastbourne's inshore lifeboat (ILB) was beached.
Crewmember Peter Needham and Coastguard officer Stuart McNab waded into the surf to support the ladder so that ILB crew member Andy Chatton could climb up and rescue the man.
The man, believed to be suffering from hypothermia was initially treated at the scene before being taken by a paramedic crew to the Eastbourne District General Hospital.
Following the rescue operation, Mr McNab said, "The casualty was unharmed apart from being cold and suffering shock, however the Coastguard Agency would like to remind people that swimming after drinking alcohol is particularly dangerous as the reactions of the body are impaired.
"We are pleased that on this occasion the man in question was not seriously injured and did not suffer any lasting effects."
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Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
