Two members of the Beach Patrol Team sprang into action after they were called to go to the aid of a man who collapsed in the sea at Walton today.

It is believed that family and other members of the public helped to get the man, who was in his 70's and from Colchester, ashore after he became unwell off the Southcliff Beach.

A visitor from Chelmsford began CPR on the pensioner and Senior Beach Patrol Simon Bloomfield and Beach Patrol Danny Welham (21) took over working on the man as soon as they arrived at the scene.

Paramedics arrived shortly afterwards and the casualty was then airlifted to Colchester General Hospital by the Essex Air Ambulance.

"We were about half a mile away at our office at Albion Beach when we were alerted that someone was in trouble, "said 20-year-old Simon.

"I grabbed the first aid kit and our new defibrillator and Amber Fuller from the kiosk gave us a lift in her car."

Simon said that when they got to Southcliff Beach a member of the public was already helping the man.

"Dan and I then took over until the Paramedics arrived," he added. "We got there as quickly as we could from where we are based. A member of the public had already called an ambulance and the Beach Patrol Team also made a call."

The team was alerted to the incident at about 11.30am today.

Tim Sutton, TDC's Seafront Manager, praised all the efforts of those involved in helping the man.

"It sounds like the man's family, members of the public and the Beach Patrol Team pulled out all the stops to go to the aid of this man," he said.

"They - along with the Paramedics - did everything possible to assist him in very difficult circumstances."