A fledgling longtail which fell into the sea after venturing out too soon for its first flight was rescued by a former lifeguard.

Amy Fox, 24, was at the beach at Cross Bay Road, Southampton, with friends last Monday afternoon when they spotted the plucky bird attempting to fly from its nest in a nearby cliff.

After it dropped into the ocean, the bird struggled to get airborne again, prompting Ms Fox to head into the water near the former Sonesta property to help it.

“Because it was trying to fly and fly, it was flapping out into the ocean,” she told The Royal Gazette. “But every time I tried to get it, it was flapping out further. I ended up swimming out and around it. I grabbed it and swam it back in.”

Bystander Andy Detzer caught the action on his camera as he was on the beach taking photographs of parrot fish.

“This little longtail came out of nowhere trying to take off,” he said. “It seemed the newcomer was still too weak to get airborne.”

Describing the feathered creature as “terrified”, Ms Fox told how she took it to a nearby cove and called Lynn Thorne, who she knew from her days as a lifeguard, when Ms Thorne worked at Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, before taking it home.

“I had dealt with birds before as a lifeguard so I had her number — she now works at Somerset Wildlife Sanctuary.

“I wrapped it in a towel and put in a box at home until she arrived. She came an hour later.”

Two days later, Ms Thorne called her to say the bird was ready for its first flight.

“She said it was eager to go. Apparently, it was too heavy and its wings were too small [on Monday]. It must have lost a few grams and its wings grew a few millimetres.”

The bird was released by Ms Thorne at Fort Scaur on Wednesday and Ms Fox, aquatic supervisor at the National Sports Centre, was on hand to capture the moment.