THREE men were thrown overboard when a huge wave engulfed their dinghy.

The dinghy was swamped by waves at St. Gabriel’s Steps, near Golden Cap.

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched shortly before 7pm on Friday after coastguards reported the dinghy capsize and three people in the water.

Members of the volunteer lifeboat crew who responded to their pager alert included seven who had just started to take part in a charity cricket match at Uplyme on the evening of lifeboat week.

The three men have been praised by the RNLI for their text book response to the drama.

All were wearing lifejackets and managed to swim safely ashore. One member of the lifeboat crew also swam ashore to assist coastguards who escorted the three to Charmouth.

Ken Lavery, deputy launching authority at the lifeboat station, said: "The young men responded to their dilemma in an exemplary manner. All wore lifejackets, they kept each other in sight as they swam ashore, one had a kill cord attached to his ankle so their outboard engine stopped, and they even removed the petrol tank to avoid pollution. It was text book stuff.”

Owner of the 3.8m inflatable James Chambers, 23, from Leatherhead, Surrey, was visiting Dorset with his fiancé Georgie, also 23, for their engagement party. The other two aboard the dinghy were James’ brother Harry, 19, and friend James Goodall, 23, also from Surrey.

James Chambers said:”We were hit by a big wave at the back of the dinghy and we were all tipped out. We were about 100metres from the beach. We swam ashore and we were all fine.”