GEELONG superstar Patrick Dangerfield came to the rescue of a family trapped in a rip at Fairhaven beach in Moggs Creek on Sunday. 

Dangerfield was playing with his children on the beach when he was alerted to a group of three swimmers, including an 11-year-old girl, struggling in the water about 100m out. 

The 31-year-old quickly paddled out on his surfboard to help them stay afloat.

In tough conditions, Dangerfield was with them for 15 minutes before lifesavers arrived on jet skis, as well as a helicopter.

The lifesavers brought the two adults back to shore, while Dangerfield paddled the girl in. 

"They were a fair way out to sea. I paddled out and we were there for 15 minutes. A helicopter flew over the top of us as we were trying to paddle back. They were holding onto my leg rope as we paddled back in," Dangerfield told News Corp.

"Then Sea Rescue from Fairhaven came up with jet skis and took them back in to the beach. It was a bit hairy. It was a decent swell so it was one of those things. It was pretty big surf, it was pretty hairy.

"They were out for a good half an hour and it took me a few minutes to get out, we paddled for 15 minutes trying to go laterally to the rip. They had been trying to paddle against it and they were buggered, they had paddled for a while.

"Then when I saw the chopper overhead I knew it would be all right. They were quite lucky, the young daughter was absolutely exhausted. If we didn’t have those guys (lifesavers) there, it could have been far worse. They were very lucky."

The young girl was checked by paramedics as a precaution but no one was injured.