THREE children were taken ashore by the crew of the Whitstable Lifeboat after they got into difficulties in an inflatable toy dinghy.

The incident occurred off the Bun Penny public house in Herne Bay on Saturday.

The lifeboat was launched at about 5.30pm and located the children and their craft tied to a speed limit buoy around 200 yards off shore.

At first the youngsters declined assistance, saying they would wait until the tide went out, but that would not have been for some time. They were persuaded to come aboard the lifeboat.

The children and their dinghy were landed ashore and met by the Herne Bay Mobile Coastguard Unit who gave them safety advice.