Lifeguards responded from home at night to rescue children in trouble at Piha

The two children had got into trouble off Lion's Rock. Photo / NZME

In an after-hours dash, surf lifeguards rushed from their homes to save kids who had got into trouble at a treacherous Auckland beach on Sunday night.

At around 7.40pm the Piha Surf Life Saving Search and Rescue squad were alerted to two children in distress off Lion Rock by police.

Three lifeguards entered the water with rescue tubes.

A surfer rescued one of the children and assisted with the other.

First aid was given to both of them and they were taken back to the surf club's first aid room while they waited for further assistance.

They were then assessed by St John and Westpac Rescue Helicopter paramedics before being transported to hospital with their parents.

Earlier that day, a father and his two children got stuck in a dangerous situation while trying to fish at Piha.

They had swam through a keyhole cave from a sheltered area to an exposed area of the beach and got stuck in large surging waves.

The waves kept knocking the children off their boogie boards near rocks.

The family were fortunately spotted by a United North Piha Lifeguard who was performing a coastal patrol of the area.

All three were retrieved onto the sled between waves and returned to the beach at the Blue Pool.