A teenager who ignored beach officers' warnings had to be rescued from the sea off Blackpool on Tuesday afternoon after getting into difficulties.

The 16-year-old unnamed girl, thought to be local, was chasing an inflatable ball near Central Pier, when she became exhausted and a Blackpool Beach Patrol ranger and two officers went to her aid.

The youngster had ignored lifeguards' warnings to stay closer to the shore, prior to the incident, and was around 25 metres out and dangerously close to the pier when rescued, officers said.

Against their advice, she then went back into the sea for about an hour, before packing up and going home.

The incident prompted pleas from the Beach Patrol for common sense among visitors and residents swimming or cooling off in the sea.

Chief beach patrol officer, Terry Rogers, advised: "Always read and heed warning signs, and ask beach patrols or life guards for advice. Swim within your depth, and swim on a patrolled beach or in between red and yellow flags.

"Inflatables should never be used in the sea, as they can blow or drift out to sea, or capsize throwing the user into water which is too deep for them."

He added: "Supervise children at all times, especially at the water's edge. Particularly with the nice weather, we've had reports of a number of lost

children and in a number of those cases they have actually been allowed to go down to the water's edge alone."

Over the last few days, the Beach Patrol has had reports of people ignoring safety signs, jumping off

piers and sea walls into the sea, and drinking quantities of alcohol before going for a swim in the sea, he said.

"Blackpool's beach is quite flat, so in a lot of areas it's very shallow, and while the sea temperatures are quite nice now close to shore, within a short distance temperatures drop drastically."

Currents, tiredness, inexperience of swimming in the sea, suddenly cold water or getting out depth can all cause swimmers difficulty, he said.

Anyone out for a stroll should take care too, he added, after six Polish walkers had to be guided off the beach on Tuesday lunchtime after getting stranded

on a sandbank. They appeared not to have heeded warnings, though Mr Rogers admitted: "Whether or not there was a language barrier, I'm not sure."

He said the patrol officers expected 'cases on a daily basis' because of the hot weather and imminent school holidays, and he urged parents and teachers to keep driving home the message of seaside safety.

Meanwhile, Beach Patrol officers, and this year's newly introduced younger officers, known as rangers, will continue monitoring the seafront, promoting

seaside safety, handing out wristbands for children - on which parents can write contact details - and handing out leaflets and sun cream sachets as part of

a sun awareness campaign.