A surfer swept 21 kilometres out to sea was found alive after clinging to his board in the sea off Scotland for 32 hours.

Hopes for missing Matthew Bryce were fading when a coastguard helicopter crew discovered him in the water drifting towards Northern Ireland.

The 22-year-old was hypothermic, but conscious. Rescuers said he only survived for so long because he was wearing a wetsuit and used his surfboard as a buoyancy aid.

Mr Bryce had been missing since in the St Catherines area of Argyll when he left to go surfing from Machrihanish beach, near Campbeltown, on Sunday morning.

Belfast Coastguard said he was found about 21 kilometres from the Argyll coast at 7.30pm on Monday.

Mr Bryce, from Glasgow, had been in the water since 11.30am on Sunday.

Video footage taken from the rescue helicopter showed the dramatic moment he was winched to safety.

"He was extremely lucky," Dawn Petrie, from the coastguard, told the BBC. "Hope was fading of finding the surfer safe and well after such a long period in the water and with nightfall approaching we were gravely concerned.

"But the crew on the coastguard rescue helicopter were delighted when they located the man still with his surf board and 13 miles off the coast.

"He was kitted out with all the right clothing including a thick neoprene suit and this must have helped him to survive for so long at sea. He is hypothermic but conscious and has been flown to hospital in Belfast."

She added: "He did the right thing by staying with his surfboard and that certainly aided his survival."

A large area of the sea and coastline was searched for Mr Bryce after the alarm was raised.

He was taken to Belfast Hospital for treatment for hypothermia after being rescued.

Chief Inspector Paul Robertson said: "The response to our appeal to find Matthew has been outstanding.

"It has been a real team effort and I would like to thank everyone who offered their assistance."

The Telegraph, London