A FISHING trip which turned into a near-disaster 300m off the East Lothian coast has been recounted by a Prestonpans father who admits he is lucky to be alive.

Malcolm Moffat was rescued after more than 60 minutes in the water by the skipper of a small vessel which had been alerted to his plight by the Coastguard. A rescue helicopter also assisted.

The 29-year-old had been forced to jump out of his fishing kayak after the hull started to fill with water 45 minutes after he had set off from Skateraw, south of Dunbar, in fine weather conditions on October 20.

Speaking from his Suthren Yett home, he told the Courier: “I was holding onto the kayak at first, it felt safer and it was something bigger in the water people could see.

“But it was so heavy and full of water I couldn’t swim with it and eventually had to ditch it.” The water was not very choppy but Malcolm struggled as the tide pulled him the other way.

As he was swimming, Malcolm, who had been calling for help after spotting a person on the shore, noticed a small crowd on the beach and saw someone on the rocks flash a torch.

While there was not total relief, he assumed it was for him, but still tried to swim closer to the shore.

A 999 call to the Coastguard had been made at 10.50am, triggering a response from Dunbar lifeboat and an RAF rescue helicopter.

Malcolm, who was kitted out in a full dry suit and thermal layers, reckoned he had been in the North Sea for over an hour when help emerged in the form of Brian Ball, 58.

“I was in the water facing the rocks,” said Malcolm.

“I didn’t know what was happening, if anyone was coming, and just happened to spin round and saw a boat from 15-20 metres away.

“My hands were so cold I couldn’t hold the oar he reached out for me, so he had to grab my lifejacket and haul me over.

“I was shivering quite hard and my muscles were spasming because I’d been swimming for so long.” Crew on the helicopter scrambled from Northumberland winched Malcolm off the boat and warmed him up as he was flown to Borders General Hospital for hypothermia treatment, X-rays and a check-up.

Fiancee Kerilee Rowley, 26, rushed to see him with his parents Angela and Gavin, and sisters Fiona and Lorna.

He was released that afternoon and returned to Prestonpans to be reunited with two-year-old son Maximus.

“I think when I got home and got my feet up on the couch and got my cup of tea, it sunk in that I was pretty lucky,” said the managing director of Chimneys R Us, who escaped with only aches and pains but no injuries.

Malcolm, whose kayak washed up that afternoon near Barns Ness, does not think Kerilee will let him buy another one, but added: “It’s not really put me off. I’d do it again but I don’t think I’d like to go out on my own again.

“I’ll probably get myself a small vessel, a fishing boat.” Mr Ball, 58, of Mayfield, has been recommended for a police meritorious award for his quick response.

Said Malcolm: “He’s a top man, thanks very much [to him], he definitely deserves an award.” George Downie, Coastguard spokesman, told the Courier: “If going out solo, I’d advise people to have a shore contact, so if they are late in coming back, they will let us know.

“If possible carry a handheld radio or mobile phone [for] if they get into difficulty and also visual items like a flare torch. And obviously wear a lifejacket.”