TWO shocked brothers fighting to stay afloat after their rubber dinghy was blown out to sea were saved by a passing pedalo.

The boys – who according to witnesses were aged around 15 and 18 – were both struggling to keep their heads above water, rescuers said.

They were taken to Poole Hospital after swallowing a “significant amount” of seawater during Friday afternoon’s drama off Swanage.

Swanage pedalo and deck chair hire owner Carlo Wiggins paddled out to help the brothers after their frantic mum ran along the beach to raise the alarm.

But it was an un-named family on a passing pedalo that hauled the shocked pair from the sea.

Carlo explained: “I had two pedalos out at the time and it was quite windy. I jumped into a canoe and paddled out.

“As I got near them I saw this guy on one of my pedalos had pulled them out of the sea on to the back.

“If that pedalo hadn’t been out there we could well be talking about a drowning.

“I say that because it appeared one of the lads, the younger one, couldn’t swim.

“He’d fallen out of the dinghy and his older brother jumped in to save him, but he wasn’t much of a swimmer either.”

Carlo said the boys seemed to think at 100 metres off the beach they’d be able to stand up in the water.

“But their dinghy was blown out to sea and they were both left in water too deep to be able to stand up,” he said.

“They were both in shock and really struggling as they were both going under the water.”

The boys’ grandmother, who has heart problems, was also taken to hospital as a precaution after becoming ill following an anxiety attack sparked by the drama.

It is understood they all made a full recovery.

Swanage RNLI, coastguards and paramedics attended the beach.

COASTGUARDS have re-minded holidaymakers to observe safety guidelines when using inflatables.

The Portland Coastguard spokesman said: “You need to check the conditions on the beach and out at sea.

“If there is an offshore wind do not under any circumstances take an inflatable on to the water.

“Under any other conditions, if you do want to use an inflatable make sure it is tethered by rope to some-body holding it on the beach.

“Once they are on the beach please ensure all inflatables are secure, so they don’t blow off the beach causing a search to be launched.”