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| Surge surfer recalls rescue drama | Surge surfer recalls rescue drama |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A surfer who was hauled up a cliff face after being beaten by strong waves during a North Sea tidal surge has spoken of his dramatic rescue. | A surfer who was hauled up a cliff face after being beaten by strong waves during a North Sea tidal surge has spoken of his dramatic rescue. |
| Dan Hill, 33, of Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, was one of three surfers left trapped on rocks at Joss Bay, Broadstairs. | |
| He and another man were winched to safety by rescuers on Friday morning while a third made it through the rough waters to a nearby beach. | |
| "I knew the tide was dropping but we just had to sit it out," Mr Hill said. | "I knew the tide was dropping but we just had to sit it out," Mr Hill said. |
| He became trapped on a ledge with a man from London during force six winds. | He became trapped on a ledge with a man from London during force six winds. |
| "The guy that was next to me, he was pretty cold," he said. | "The guy that was next to me, he was pretty cold," he said. |
| "We were just sat there and he was a bit panicky and nervous, so I calmed him down." | "We were just sat there and he was a bit panicky and nervous, so I calmed him down." |
| Dan Hill is a regular surfer at Joss Bay in Broadstairs | Dan Hill is a regular surfer at Joss Bay in Broadstairs |
| But despite the drama, Mr Hill was back surfing at Joss Bay on Saturday and pledging to become a regular donator to the coastguard. | But despite the drama, Mr Hill was back surfing at Joss Bay on Saturday and pledging to become a regular donator to the coastguard. |
| Rescuer Keith Silcock said: "We're trained to carry out cliff rescues and it obviously comes naturally because you've been doing it for so long. | Rescuer Keith Silcock said: "We're trained to carry out cliff rescues and it obviously comes naturally because you've been doing it for so long. |
| "The only difference was that the tide was so high there was a possibility of the surfers being swept away further along the coast, and that could have created a larger problem." | "The only difference was that the tide was so high there was a possibility of the surfers being swept away further along the coast, and that could have created a larger problem." |
| There were three flood warnings and five flood watches as the North Sea surge made its way past the Kent coast on Friday morning. | There were three flood warnings and five flood watches as the North Sea surge made its way past the Kent coast on Friday morning. |
| The Environment Agency said storm defences prevented any major incidents, although there was localised flooding in places like Sandwich, Broadstairs and Deal. | The Environment Agency said storm defences prevented any major incidents, although there was localised flooding in places like Sandwich, Broadstairs and Deal. |