Five young men rescued from sea and smugglers' caves after getting into difficulties while swimming at Thornwick Bay on Yorkshire coast

The Flamborough lifeboat was called out just after midday by the Coastguard after five people, believed to be young men, were seen struggling and calling for assistance in the water.

They were thought to have been exploring the caves in the cliff face, which local folklore associates with smuggling.

The RNLI said one casualty was pulled from the water and three more were helped aboard from the cliff beside Smugglers' Cave itself. A fifth was inside the cave when he was rescued.

The lifeboat returned to South Landing by 1pm and one of the men who required treatment was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The incident comes just five days after a woman in her 60s, who has not yet been named, drowned while swimming off Runswick Bay, near Whitby, despite a rescue effort by beachgoers and lifeguards.

In July 55-year-old tourist David Fell, from Wigan, died after he was swept out to sea by a rip current while swimming with his teenage children at Reighton Gap, near Filey. His son and daughter were rescued.