This dramatic footage shows a helicopter rescue of a man who needed urgent medical care while six miles out at sea.

Weymouth RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched at 2.06pm on Thursday, April 11 to go to the assistance of a 42' Ketch that was approximately six miles east of Grove Point, Portland with a crew member on board in need of medical assistance.

Due to the severity of the medical condition of the man, Solent Coastguard also tasked the rescue helicopter from Lee on Solent to attend the incident. The helicopter arrived on scene at about the same time as the lifeboat at 2.24pm.

The lifeboat transferred a crew member on to Ketch to assess the condition of the casualty.

The winchman from the helicopter was lowered on to the lifeboat and then the winchman and another lifeboat crew member were also transferred onto the Ketch.

Between the two volunteer lifeboat crew and the helicopter winchman they prepared the casualty and lifted him up into the helicopter for transfer to hospital.

With the casualty safely on his way to hospital the volunteer lifeboat crew members were returned to the inshore lifeboat at 2.58pm.

The lifeboat then made its way back to Weymouth while the ketch and its three remaining crew members carried on on its passage.

The Inshore lifeboat returned at 3.07pm and was refuelled and made ready for the next shout.