Fears for a teenager drifting out to sea on a dinghy prompted a rescue mission. 

But while coastguards and lifeboat crew rushed to his aid, the teen found his way to safety - then fell into the sea and dropped his phone as he filmed those coming to help him. 

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched on Friday night amid fears he'd been blown out to sea on an inflatable near Lyme's Church Beach, east of the town's harbour. 

 He then beached the inflatable at Church Beach. However, in the process he was dumped out of the boat and dropped his phone into the sea as he was busy videoing the emergency services response.

He was met by coastguards and given a welfare check and escorted back to his car to get a change of dry clothes.

A spokesman for Lyme Regis Coastguard said: "This incident could well have had a hugely different outcome. There was a strong breeze picking up across the bay.

"The young man was completely unprepared and could not understand the risks to either himself or to the people that might have had to rescue him. Please enjoy the beach and sea.

"If using inflatables, which is strongly discouraged, tether it to the shore. Sadly, we have seen the tragic consequences over the last few weeks and so if you have been drinking, do not be tempted to enter the water or put to sea in a vessel. Stay safe on the coast this summer.