TWO Circus Starlight performers were rescued by the emergency services from off the Lihou headland. Shaun and Pippa Lee were escorted to shore by the Ambulance and Rescue Service inshore boat yesterday after a worried islander dialled 999 because he was concerned the pair were being washed out to sea in their dinghy.

Mr Lee, 21, a diablo performer for the circus for the past three years, refused to comment.

Ambulance and Rescue Service duty sub officer Carrie Goodall said that neither Mr nor Mrs Lee had been injured or distressed

‘A member of the public called at 1pm claiming to see two people in a rubber dinghy washing out to sea between Lihou Island and Lihou headland.

‘We sent an ambulance responder to Lihou headland who maintained visual contact with the casualties,’ she said.

The service then dispatched the inshore rescue boat from L’Eree slipway with three crewmen.

‘An incident officer was also dispatched to the car park. The inshore rescue boat assisted the dinghy back to shore.’

She added that the 999 call had been made with good intention and urged the public to dial should they see anyone apparently in distress in any of the island’s bays.

An eyewitness holidaymaker who wanted to remain anonymous said it had been a foolhardy attempt by the pair to row across the bay in such strong winds.

‘A gentleman in a car next to us pointed out that the pair should not be out there in strong winds like this and decided to call 999.

‘It didn’t look like they were making much headway and getting pretty exhausted while attempting to cross the currents,’ said the schoolteacher from Yorkshire.

‘It looked as though they were trying to get to Lihou, but gave up and let the tide carry them to rocks on the right side of the car park.

‘An Ambulance and Rescue officer came down and called out to them, then the inshore rescue boat came round the corner and nudged them back to the beach.

‘They were both able to get out and walk away but weren’t very cooperative.

‘It was a pretty foolhardy thing to do on a day like this,’ she said.

‘I don’t think they meant to go out that far.’