The lifeboat crew at Burnham-on Sea have had a busy week, after being called out twice in the middle of the night.

They dispatched after a call from a boat with a broken engine on Tuesday (July 16) and a mayday call from a yacht on Friday morning (July 19).

The first emergency came in at around 1am on the16th after a yacht was reported to be in difficulties on the East side of Stert Island, opposite Burnham Jetty

Within minutes. the Burnham Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Doris Day and Brian, was launched from Burnham slipway.

On reaching the casualty vessel, a lifeboat crew member was transferred onto the yacht. Once everyone was accounted for, with no injuries, they established the anchor was dragging, and there was difficulty in raising it due to the engine not functioning.

The yacht was towed to the sailing club pontoons and handed over to Burnham Coastguard rescue team.

The lifeboat volunteer crew was stood down and returned their lifeboat to Burnham Slipway for recovery and wash-down.

After a debrief, the volunteers returned home to their beds at approximately 03.30 am

Lifeboat helmsman, Nathan said: "What a great team effort from our station, as ever, which is why we train so hard in order that when the pagers sound in the middle of the night we're able to assist. The crew on the lifeboat last night were an experienced group including those who sail out of Burnham, which made the tasking as a helm much easier."

Crews were then called out at around 1am on Friday (July 19) after they intercepted a Mayday call from a yacht. An immediate emergency.

Both lifeboats launched and headed to the casualty, reported to be off Berrow beach. with the D Class lifeboat, Burnham Reach, arriving first. The two persons on board were removed to the D class and the yacht’s anchor dropped. The Atlantic 85 crew then came in to secure a tow line and prep the boat for a tow back out through the shallows towards Brean for deeper water.

The Atlantic 85 crew made way to the entrance of the River Brue, where they changed to an alongside tow. The casualty was then towed to the safety of the Sailing club pontoons.

Once stood down, the crews returned to Burnham slipway for recovery and wash-down. All volunteers back in their beds by 05.00 am, before heading out to their day jobs.

Atlantic Helm Scott said: "Not much natural light, the tide was flooding, on scene, with lots of current and some breaking waves onto Berrow flats sand bar. Tricky conditions with max depth out in the channel, around 4 meters."