The pair were swept around Trenance Point by a rip tide

New Zealanders Shane Davis, 22, and Renee Potgieter, 21, were forced to cling onto wave-battered rocks in the cave at Trenance Point, Mawgan Porth.

Ms Potgieter is being treated for cuts and hypothermia in hospital after the rescue early on Tuesday.

Almost 100 rescuers took part in the search, which involved three lifeboats.

We were getting smashed up against the rocks and pushed right up against the far wall of the cave Shane Davis

A helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and teams from Falmouth Coastguard were also involved in the search which started at about 1500 BST on Monday.

It ended at about 0200 BST on Tuesday when the pair were picked up by a lifeboat sweeping the seas by searchlight.

Ms Potgieter, from Christchurch in New Zealand, had joined her friend Mr Davis, who had been working for six weeks as a lifeguard at Mawgan Porth.

The pair decided to explore a cave on the right hand side of the beach, which was within walking distance in waist depth water at low tide.

However Ms Potgieter was swept off her feet and was dragged out by a rip current.

Mr Davis said: "I swam out after her but was unable to get her out of the rip because of the size of the surf.

Lifeboats joined the search

"We got sucked round the point and smashed up on the rocks."

The pair struggled into another cave where they were forced to the back of the cave by the rising tide.

For two hours they were in the water, holding each other up until they found a small patch out of the water.

Ms Potgieter started getting hypothermia and they clung together to conserve body heat.

"I was worried that she was not going to make it," said Mr Davis.

As it got dark they fell asleep until they were woken by lights from a rescue boat.

Mr Davis swam to the boat and two RNLI lifeguards dived into the water to get Ms Potgieter who was airlifted to hospital.

Mr Davis, who had been on duty at the time of the incident, said: "It was not irresponsible.

"It was just a casual walk in the water."

He added: "The conditions were maybe too rough for Renee. I did ask her if she was confident in the water and she was not as confident as I would have liked."