A boy was rescued by a lifeboat crew when his dinghy was blown more than a mile out to sea.

The youngster named Tommy, 11, and his family were playing at a beach in Dungeness in Kent, England, when the wind began to intensify on June 30.

The frantic parents called their kids back to shore, but Tommy, who was riding a dinghy, was swept away to sea.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution at Dungeness responded to an emergency call and set out to search for the youngster.

Stuart Richardson, a volunteer mechanic at the Dungeness Lifeboat Station, said: 'With the new information from the Coastguard, we could track our way downwind in the direction we thought he would be. A force 6 wind was blowing against the tide so it was a bit choppy further out to sea, making it hard to see anyone. Then we spotted the inflatable. There was nothing behind it – the wind was just carrying it out into the North Sea.

‘It's a sigh of relief when you can see someone in a boat. There's always that fear that they're going to try and swim to shore. Tommy did everything that we'd want him to do – he didn't leave the inflatable and he didn't stand up – standing up is when people can topple over. He wasn't panicking. He was really calm.'

Footage shows the dramatic moment the child was found alone on the inflatable, drifting on the open sea. The officers commended him for his courage and pulled him onto a rescue boat to be taken back to shore, where he was reunited with his emotional family.

Tommy's relieved mum said: ‘I shouted out to him to stay still and stay on the boat, and he listened.

‘I can't explain the emotions I went through when I saw him drifting out to sea. In that moment, I felt like I lost him. I can't thank the crew enough for saving my child and bringing him back safely.'

Meanwhile, Stuart urged visitors to check wind conditions before entering the sea. He said: 'by choosing a lifeguarded beach and swimming between the red and yellow flags you will be safer too. Our highly-trained lifeguards can keep a watchful eye over you while you enjoy the water.'