A lifeboat crew left an official ceremony to rescue a teenager who was hit on the head by the jib of his catamaran two miles out to sea.

Francis Marshall, 15, from Exmouth, suffered cuts to his head when he was hit by the jib but he was rescued by the Exmouth all-weather lifeboat, Margaret Jean, moments after she was re-dedicated and blessed at a ceremony to mark the official opening of the town's new £2million RNLI station on the seafront.

Francis, a pupil at Exmouth Community College, was sailing with a friend when he was injured by the mast, which struck him on the head.

A passing Coastguard cutter took the catamaran under tow and lifeboatman Andy Smith, who is a paramedic, went on board from the inshore RNLI inflatable George Bearman to help the injured youngster.

He was transferred to the Mersey-class lifeboat and taken to shore, where he was greeted by his parents before being taken to Exmouth Hospital. Guests at the station's opening ceremony watched as the youngster was brought ashore.

His father, Michael, said: "My son received three stitches to his head, but he is all right now. I'd like to thank all those involved in helping him, including the people on the Coastguard boat and the RNLI. He was not kept in hospital and his injuries were not serious. He was not badly hurt and is going back to school to start the new term today."

A spokeswoman for Exmouth RNLI said the rescue took place soon after 3.40pm on Saturday following the successful opening ceremony.