A lifeboat was sent out late at night to bring a man ashore after he suffered a severe allergic reaction while working at sea.

The man was on the 4 Winds, a supply vessel which serves rigs and windfarm facilities, when he fell ill.

The Caister lifeboat service was alerted at 11.05pm on Sunday and at 11.17pm, the ALB Bernard Matthews II, was launched.

It headed out to sea, reaching the 4 Winds, 17 miles from shore, at 11.50pm.

The man was taken on board the lifeboat and brought back to land, where he received hospital treatment.The ALB Bernard Matthews II arrived at the emergency within 30 minutes (Image: Caister Lifeboat) READ MORE: New lifeboat to be launched this weekend on Norfolk coast (but it's tiny)

Guy Gibson, a member of the rescue crew, said: "The man was a member of a supply vessel and wasn't very well at all. He had bad chest pains, felt sick and his throat was all swelled up.

"It was a severe allergic reaction. He wasn't even sure what had caused it.

"We got there as quickly as we could and waited for him while the ambulance was on the way when we got back."

The man was then transported to James Paget Hospital by ambulance for further treatment.