For those who have been lost, alone and hurt or in a life-threatening situation, seeing help in the form of a search and rescue team is literally a life-saver.

The red and yellow cap worn by surf lifesavers has been a familiar sight on Australian beaches for more than 70 years.

Jo Knowsley investigates the truth behind this week's sensational story from Piha beach.

New images have emerged of the rip that a Piha surfing instructor took a group of teenagers into on Monday, sparking criticism from surf lifesavers at the west Auckland beach.

Stills from footage taken by a Piha local of 'extremely rough' conditions when a group of eight teens were taken into a rip by a surfing instructor.

Susan Edmunds takes to the water with a surf school - and manages to do without Piha Rescue.

Glenn Anderson opened his campaign at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships today in familiar fashion.

Three young lifeguards were in the right place at the right time yesterday, reviving a man who had shown no signs of life for 20 minutes.

Six surf lifeguards today completed a 5200km circumnavigation of New Zealand, coming ashore to a noisy welcome in Auckland.

A 52-year-old man who drowned at Muriwai Beach west of Auckland last night paid the ultimate price for not heeding the warning signs at the notoriously dangerous swimming spot.