COASTGUARDS had to undertake a tricky rescue operation when a kayaker got trapped in a cave.

Teignmouth and Torbay coastguards and the Teignmouth Inshore Lifeboat came to the aid of a kayaker stuck in a cave at Petitor, Oddicombe at about 2pm yesterday.

Two men were out kayaking in the Bay when one went into a cave and did not come out.

Panicked by his friend's disappearance, the other kayaker paddled back to shore and raised the alarm.

The stranded kayaker, a man in his mid-30s, had capsized and in making for land was taken by the current and the sea swell into the cave at the Devil's Armchair near Babbacombe.

RNLI Teignmouth Lifeboat spokesman Tony Watson said: "Unfortunately the cave the missing kayaker had found himself in had a protruding rock face above it that did not easily allow the coastguard cliff rescue team to reach him.

"The seaward entrance to the cave was protected by sharp rocks and a 1.5metre to 2metre sea swell which prevented the lifeboat getting close."

After much discussion coastguards lowered a throwing line and life jacket six metres to the kayaker.

The man donned the life jacket and attached the line to his wrist. Coastguards threw the other end of the line back to the lifeboat and pulled the kayaker onboard.

The man was checked over by paramedics at Babbacombe Pier, but had not sustained any injuries.