Police officers have been praised for their actions after rescuing two boys who were playing chicken with the waves at the 'Pepperpot' lighthouse at the end of Castletown Pier on Sunday.

The teenagers were spotted by a member of the public who ran to the local police station to raise the alarm. Officers Anne Tyler and Dave Trevethan attempted to reach the boys, who were by now stuck and in danger of being swept into the sea.

The police force has recounted the incident on its facebook page, stating it was too risky to walk on to the prom so the officers drove a police transit van along the pier to the lighthouse and managed to get the boys inside the vehicle. The ferocity of the waves coming over moved the van more than two feet towards the harbour as it reversed back along the pier.

Police say both boys, one 14 and one 15, and from the south, were unharmed. A spokesman said: 'It turns out one of the children was a non-swimmer. Clearly the boys were very lucky on this occasion. To all parents, please can you speak with your children and explain the dangers of ‘playing’ in stormy conditions. This was a near miss, and so nearly a tragedy.'

In a letter the police have posted on facebook, eyewitness Andy McGrath described 'an amazing act of bravery', adding: 'I was out with my camera taking photos of the high tide around the harbour, when I noticed a van on the pier next to the lighthouse. I zoomed in and took a shot thinking it was a works van, and it was only when I got home and put the photos on my laptop, I realised I managed to capture some amazing photos of these two brave police officers taking two teenagers off the pier. They had to reverse the van in some rather extreme conditions.'

- photo by Andy McGrath

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