A police helicopter landed on a beach to rescue two girls who were trapped by the incoming tide, a force spokesman has said.
The dramatic landing happened at Easington Colliery, County Durham, at 7.30pm yesterday after the 12-year-olds were caught out.
One of the girls rang the police on her mobile and managed to pass on brief details but efforts to re-contact her for more information were initially thwarted when the phone kept diverting to voicemail.
In the meantime the helicopter shared by Durham and Northumbria Police was sent to the area and a call was made to alert the Humber Coastguard.
The police air observer soon located the two girls who were by that time sheltering in a cove.
A Durham Police spokesman said: "The helicopter then landed on the beach and collected the pair, who were unharmed.
"After landing in a nearby car park, the crew handed the friends over to their parents, fit and well."