By RNZ
Surf lifeguards are increasingly seeing people hit the water with toys that can get them or others into danger and are not meant for the ocean.
Surf Life Saving's chief executive Paul Dalton said when taken to beaches many kinds of ride-on toy can easily be caught by wind or currents and sweep people out to sea.
"Motorised, wind-powered or pool toys like blow-up ... anything - from unicorns up to swans, are pretty prevalent," he said.
Yesterday at Omaha beach near Warkworth, police were called when a 3-year-old child was drifting out to sea on a lilo.