THE life of a woman seen floating fully-clothed in the water was saved thanks to a rapid emergency response.

Lifeboat crews said she was “lucky to be alive” after the dramatic late-night sea rescue in Hove yesterday.

The alarm was raised at 9.20pm after a bag and several belongings were found unattended on the beach.

A woman was then spotted in the sea just off Hove Lawns.

Brighton Beach Patrol officers saw her and quickly alerted lifeboat and coastguard crews, who rushed to the scene.

Concern mounted for the safety of the woman as she was fully-dressed.

Brighton Lifeboat crews attending said she “looked to be in difficulty”.

The team pulled the disorientated woman out of the water and brought her aboard their lifeboat.

But, once aboard, her condition worsened.

She lost consciousness and volunteers carried out full first aid to make sure she continued breathing.

The woman was taken back to the boathouse at Brighton Marina and, while there, regained partial consciousness.

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She was then handed over to a team from the South East Coast Ambulance Service who took her to the Royals Sussex County Hospital for further treatment.

Volunteer Operations Manager Roger Cohen said “This lady is extremely lucky to be alive today.

“The initial spot from Brighton Beach Patrol and then the quick response by our volunteer crew ensured the women was found quickly and brought safely onto the lifeboat.

“If you visit the coast we ask you to please respect the water, and if you see someone in trouble or get into difficulty yourself to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

Brighton Beach Patrol teams patrol along the city’s seafront “to protect vulnerable people and to save lives by preventing people from entering the water at night”.

It was members of this team who raised the alarm after seeing the woman floating in the water, sparking praise from lifeboat crews for their “quick response”.

A spokesman for the charity said: “A female’s life was saved tonight at 9.20pm.

“Brighton Beach Patrol found an unattended bag and belongings then spotted a person floating in the sea.

“We liaised with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Brighton Lifeboat to swiftly recover the casualty, (who was) handed into the care of the South East Coast Ambulance Service.”

Shoreham Coastguard also assisted with the rescue in what was an incredible multi-agency response to save a woman’s life.