Sea rescue girl, 13, in critical condition

A 13-year-old girl rescued after getting into difficulty in the North Sea remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The teenager was pulled from the water at the south end of Whitley Bay beach in North Tyneside at about 16:20 BST on Thursday.

Stuart Crozier, from Tynemouth RNLI, said she was rescued by two on-shore lifeguards.

A spokesperson for the Great North Air Ambulance Service said its doctor and paramedic arrived on the beach shortly after 17:00 and worked with other emergency services before transporting the girl to hospital.

Northumbria Police said the force is supporting her next of kin.

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