Lifeguards pull 11 from water at Ninety Mile Beach

Eleven people in a group were pulled from the water after getting into difficulties while swimming at Ninety Mile Beach in the Far North late yesterday.

Inspector Andrew Brill of the police northern communications centre said seven people had been taken to Kaitaia Hospital by ambulance and in police vehicles, suffering from hypothermia.

They had been rescued by local people after becoming caught in a rip at the beach, just north of Awanui.

The rest of the group were being cared for at a local marae.

The names, ages and sexes of the group were not available, but it was known that some of the group were children, Mr Brill said.

The rescue came as crowds moved to Northland beaches as summer emerged from behind Christmas - Boxing Day clouds.

The pace picked up for the paid lifeguards who have had little to do since they started patrolling Mangawhai, Waipu Cove, Ruakaka and Whangarei Heads' beaches earlier this month.

Mangawhai Heads Surf Life Saving Club patrol captain Kate Fisher said about 200 people were on the beach yesterday -- the first crowd of any size this summer.

There had been no rescue work required in the surf, but lifesavers with a defibrillator and CPR gear had gone to the aid of an 80-year-old man who was feeling faint on the beach.

"We were told he had heart problems, but when we got there he was okay so we gave him a lift back to carpark and after a rest there his family took him home," Ms Fisher said.

- NZPA