DESPITE lockdown, the crews of both Rhyl's lifeboats were launched to rescue a full clothed person swimming in the sea.

The RNLI were called out at about 4pm on on Thursday, May 21 after the UK coastguard at Holyhead were alerted to the swimmer off Pensarn, near Abergele.

This was the charity's fourth call out in as many weeks, with the crew engaging in social distancing as far as they were able.

A spokesperson for the RNLI said: "The charity's lifeboats arrived on scene to find a person in the water about 300 metres from the shoreline, swimming with difficulty, and appeared to be in an agitated state.

"The casualty did not wish to get on board the inshore lifeboat, and so both lifeboats stood by a short distance away.

"By constantly engaging the casualty in reassuring conversation, the person was shepherded back to the shore by the crew in the inshore lifeboat, until the person was able to wade back on to the beach of their own accord, to the waiting coastguard team."

"The crew engaged in social distancing as far as they were able, and were glad to assist the person back to the shore. In these challenging times when stress levels are higher than normal, the crews did their best to ensure a successful outcome for the casualty.

"Once the person was seen to be safe ashore, the lifeboats returned to station by 6.42 pm."