A man who spent over five hours in the sea off Marazion on a paddleboard was rescued last night suffering from hypothermia after a large scale search.

Both Penlee lifeboats launched at 8.15pm yesterday evening at the request of HM Coastguard in Falmouth. The ALB 'Ivan Ellen' and the ILB 'Paul Alexander' joined other emergency services in the search after the report of the missing man.

A spokesman said: "At 8:15pm last night, just after returning to Newlyn from an evening exercise in Mount’s Bay, both lifeboats were requested to launch by HM Coastguard, Falmouth. They were tasked to assist the Police, a search and rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and Coastguard teams from Penzance and St Ives in the search for missing local man, Joe Holtaway.

"A local lady had seen his pushbike and clothing on the shore at Marazion, but could not see anyone nearby and alerted the Police.

"In darkness with lowering temperatures, the Ivan Ellen and the Paul Alexander were very quickly on scene and the crew commenced an extended search of the shoreline and the many rocks surrounding St Michael’s Mount.

"After a three hour search the lifeboat crew located Joe floating on his paddleboard a mile south of Marazion. Despite wearing a wetsuit, Joe was frozen rigid with the cold and was quickly taken on board the Ivan Ellen. The lifeboat crew rendered immediate first aid, giving oxygen, wrapping the casualty in blankets, and keeping him in conversation whilst the Ivan Ellen sped back to Newlyn. He was then conveyed to Treliske Hospital in Truro by ambulance suffering from hypothermia, and was later released.

After the incident, Joe described what happened on the Penlee Lifeboat Facebook page.

He said ‘It was a beautiful evening in Marazion, I paddled out on my board in the sunset and drifted further, got colder than I could get myself back to shore from.

"Six hours later the lifeboat took me on board."

Speaking following this rescue, Coxswain of Penlee RNLI Patch Harvey said: "Thankfully this story has a happy ending but it could have been very different. Joe paddled out on his board at about 5pm, just before darkness fell, but quickly became very cold, disorientated and confused.

"Despite the calm conditions, it is not advisable to enter the sea at this time of the year, at such a late hour, without any means of communication with the shore. It is very easy to lose your bearings when darkness falls and you are freezing cold.

"At any time of the year, its good practice to let someone know where you are going. On this occasion there was a happy ending but Joe was very lucky that the crew found him safe and well."

Coxswain Patch Harvey went on to praise everyone involved with this rescue:

‘It was a fantastic effort by everyone involved – team work at its very best! I am immensely proud of the volunteer crews at Penlee and the work they do throughout the year’

Joe Holtaway and his family later visited Penlee Lifeboat Station and gave their grateful thanks to Coxswain Patch Harvey and the volunteer crew of the Ivan Ellen and Paul Alexander lifeboats.

Joe added: "Much love, respect and appreciation for everyone who was on the beach, the emergency services, my friends and family."