Exmouth RNLI volunteers had their training interrupted by two real emergencies on Thursday (17 August).

At 5.50pm, HM Coastguard requested the crew of Exmouth RNLI's inshore lifeboat attend a report of two people apparently in difficulty on a tender attached to the rear of a yacht on the River Exe.

The lifeboat immediately located the casualties at 5.55pm, where it was established that the tender had broken down.

A decision was made to tow the tender and its occupants to the safety of the Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club. Neither casualty was injured or required medical attention. 

Then, at 6.15pm, the same crew attended a report of a cylindrical object drifting up the River Exe off buoy 12.

The lifesavers arrived on scene at 6.22pm and assessed the situation.

The object was identified as a mussel farm float, was deemed an "obvious danger to navigation and water users", and so was towed to the safety of Exmouth Marina.