Two surfers who took to the waves in high seas had to be rescued with a full scale police operation.

Officers were called with reports a man and a woman had gotten into difficulties off South Sound cemetery just after 5.30 on Tuesday evening.

The police helicopter, which was airborne at the time, managed to get the people to safety.

A spokesman for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said: “The rough seas and shallow water surrounding the Cay, coupled with the rapidly approaching darkness would have made a sea rescue highly improbable.

“The decision was made by the police helicopter crew to carry out a rescue before weather conditions already bad, deteriorated further to become life threatening which involved landing on the Cay and transporting the two individuals one at a time to the nearest available landing site which was the South Sound rugby club.

“The police marine unit and uniformed officers secured the rugby field for a safe landing and assessment of the rescued persons. Neither person received any injuries. The rescue was conducted swiftly without incident.”

Police have warned people not to go out into the sea during the bad weather.

The spokesman added: “Police are warning anyone not to go out to sea until conditions improve. Those who do so despite this warning not only put their own lives at risk but also those of their rescuers.”