AN 18-year-old man has had a lucky escape after being plucked from the sea by Cardigan lifeboat crew yesterday evening (Sunday, November 3).

The alarm was raised at 5.19pm after two surfers were reported to be in trouble by rocks at the base of cliffs near the golf course at the Cliff Hotel.

The D-Class inshore lifeboat was launched from the RNLI’s Poppit Sands base and began a search for the two casualties.

One of the surfers – understood to have been in a group of four - had managed to make it ashore himself but one surfer was still missing and Cardigan’s Atlantic-class lifeboat was launched as well to assist with the search.

Shortly after, the crew of the inshore lifeboat heard shouting between Cei Bach and Caemaes Head. They then caught a glimpse of the man in the water and managed to reach him and pull him on board.

The man, who is understood to be local, was shaken but unhurt.

“It is believed he had been jumping off the rocks near the Cliff Hotel and had been caught by the current and was carried over towards Caemaes Head,” said an RNLI spokesperson.

“He was very fortunate to have been found by the crew as quickly as they did. The alarm was raised very quickly but another five minutes and it could have been a very different story.”