A surfer who got into difficulty off Scarborough Beach prompted an emergency response on Saturday morning.

A police spokesman told Chris Lynch Media emergency services responded to reports of a surfer in trouble in the water off Scarborough Coast around 8:50am.

The surfer made it back to shore with the assistance of a member of the public and they are safe and uninjured the spokesman said.

Christchurch’s shores are swarming with crowds, as the mercury in the Garden City is forecast to reach 29 degrees.