A man trying to kite surf across the Bristol Channel sparked a rescue effort involving five lifeboat crews, four coastguard land teams and the RAF rescue helicopter yesterday (Tuesday).

He had left Weston-Super-Mare at 1730 and was expected to arrive in Wales about an hour later, but when his friends had not heard from him, they raised the alarm.

He was heading for Cardiff but was found near Aberthaw power station, Vale of Glamorgan, around 15 miles away. The Barry coastguard team took him back to their base for “hot tea and advice”.

Steve Matthews, the watch manager coordinating the rescue, said the message was for anyone making a cross of this type, in any kind of vessel, to let coastguard know their plan. He said: “When we did find him, he was quite concerned at the size of the rescue. He was quite embarrassed. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He was enjoying his sport. He had a shore contact. But if we had known what his intentions were, we would have re-evaluated our search and rescue efforts.”