A COOK onboard a windfarm security guard vessel had to be rescued after a serious cut led to him losing a lot of blood.

Barrow Lifeboat Station’s volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat Grace Dixon to go to the aid of an injured crewman on a windfarm support vessel.

Coastguard control centre staff tasked the RNLI crew at 4.50pm on Tuesday after receiving a call for help from the Fairline Surveyor.

The vessel, which acts as security for the windfarm and ensures no other vessels enter the area, was south of the West of Duddon Sands windfarm at the time.

The vessel's cook had suffered a serious cut to his hand and was losing a lot of blood so it was decided it would be quicker to seek help from the lifeboat.

Chris Clouter from Barrow Lifeboat said the emergency evacuation cut an hour off the man's transfer to land.

"The vessel’s master reported that one of the crewmen on board had sustained a serious hand injury that required urgent treatment," Mr Clouter said.

"The crew was paged and the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon, was launched at 5.05pm under the command of Coxswain, Shaun Charnley, assisted by a crew of six.

"The lifeboat proceeded at full speed to rendezvous with the Fairline Surveyor approximately six miles south west of Walney Island.

"The injured crewman was transferred to the lifeboat where his condition was assessed by the lifeboat’s medical team during the passage back to Barrow.

"The decision was made to take the casualty to the Deep Water Berth pontoon at Barrow Port where Furness Coastguard were waiting to transport him to Furness General Hospital."