A 999 call reporting children in difficulty in the water off Broad Haven beach sparked a multi-agency rescue operation yesterday (Saturday) afternoon.

Coastguards received the emergency call at 4.15 pm. The caller said several children had capsized from a canoe and were in trouble in the sea.

Coastguard HQ immediately tasked St Davids all-weather lifeboat, Little Haven inshore lifeboat and coastguard rescue helicopter 187 were tasked to the scene, as well as Broad Haven coastguard crew.

Little Haven lifeboat was the first to arrive at the beach and found that the four people, three children and an adult all on holiday, had safely reached the shore and were being attended to by the coastguard team, who also offered safety advice.

St Davids lifeboat was stood down before launching and the rescue helicopter, which had already set off, was also stood down.

An ambulance was called to the incident to check over the holidaymakers, who were cold and shaken up but otherwise unharmed by their ordeal.