A man had to be rescued from the sea after falling off an inflatable canoe.

The coastguard, lifeboat, rescue helicopter, ambulance service and Police Scotland were all called out to the incident off the coast of Saltcoats on Sunday.

Two jet skiers who had seen the incident managed to bring the distressed man back to shore.

He was taken into the care of the ambulance service after suffering the effects of the cold water while under the influence of alcohol.

The coastguard team are now warning the public of the dangers of being in the sea after drinking alcohol.

A representative said: "We continue to advise the public against taking part in any sort of water-based activity after consuming alcohol and to always wear a life jacket or a personal flotation device when heading out to sea.

"Lifejackets save lives but they are absolutely useless unless worn and worn correctly.

"Our thanks to the eagle-eyed jet skiers who were nearby and able to render quick assistance and as always to our partner agencies for the continued support."