A FAMILY had to be plucked to safety in a dramatic rescue from Holy Island causeway on Tuesday afternoon.
A helicopter from RAF Boulmer winched a man and his two children – a daughter, four, and two-year-old son – from the roof of a Ford Focus stranded in deep water.
A woman was up to her waist in water.
Seahouses inshore lifeboat had also been cal
led. Crew members recovered what personal items they could from the car.
The family are believed to be from West Yorkshire and on holiday in the area.
Seahouses RNLI spokesman Ian Clayton said the family had tried to cross the causeway around one-and-half-hours after the safe crossing time.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the crew was again called to the island after reports of a car being stuck in sand.
Relatives had contacted the Coastguard after failing to find two teenagers on the island more than two hours after the safe crossing time.
A helcopter from RAF Boulmer was scrambled and both lifeboats were launched.
Mr Clayton said: "There was serious concern for the safety of these youngsters, in case their vehicle had been washed away."
After a full-scale search, using night vision and thermal imaging equipment, he vehicle was found in sand dunes on the north side of the island and the teenagers, a boy and girl and their dog, were safe and well.
