Lifeboat crews had a busy evening after being called out three times in three hours to a stricken yacht, possible missing swimmer and a person reported to be drifting out to sea in an inflatable rubber ring.

Margate RNLI's inshore boat was training last night when they responded to a report of a person drifting out to sea off the town's main beach in a rubber ring.

But a search found nobody needed assistance.

The second call saw the main all-weather lifeboat tasked with rescuing a yacht which was suffering a mechanical failure two miles off Margate.

Three people were on board the stricken seven-metre vessel which was towed to Ramsgate harbour by the main lifeboat.

A two-hour search for a possible missing swimmer launched at 11pm involving both the Margate lifeboats near Herne Bay.

Crews carried out an extensive search of the area but no one was found to be missing and the call was deemed to be a false alarm with good intent, station spokesman Peter Barker said.

He added: "We have experienced an exceptionally busy spell over recent weeks, but nothing happens without the commitment of our volunteers who also have their own real lives to live.

"We are grateful to them and in particular their families who support them and of course local employers who provide similar support in allowing them to answer the call of the pager and help save lives at sea."

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