'Very lucky' woman found alive after drunken skinny dip

A 23-year-old woman who decided to go for a late-night swim at Chapel St Leonards, near Skegness, was 'lucky' to be found alive following a major search operation.

The Daily Mail reports that the woman, who had been drinking, disappeared after stripping off and running naked into the sea at 4am on Saturday morning.

She was with two men, who searched for her for 20 minutes, before a tractor driver, who saw what happened, went to their rescue and called 999.

The Independent reports that the Chapel St Leonards' Coastguard rescue team and the Skegness inshore lifeboat were called in, along with an RAF search-and-rescue crew.

Soon after, the woman was found semi-conscious on the beach near a holiday resort in St Leonards. She was breathing, but very cold. She was taken to hospital, along with her two friends.

Mike Puplett, Humber Coastguard watch manager, said: "This young woman has been very lucky. The water temperature is only seven degrees Celsius, and this lady had been drinking.

"It is clear that drinking alcohol and going into the sea is a recipe for disaster. The message is simple and clear, don't do it."

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