A broken-down motor boat with nine people on board was brought to safety by Exmouth RNLI and Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat.

Both crews were called out to the 21-foot boat by HM Coastguard at 5.25pm on Sunday evening (August 7) after it lost power off Orcombe Point.

Sidmouth’s Independent Arctic 24 lifeboat Peter & Barbara Truesdale reached the scene first and had the boat under tow when the Exmouth inshore lifeboat George Bearman II arrived, and took over the towing of the vessel to the shore.

The Sidmouth lifeboat crew were helm Si Priestley with Guy Bennett, Ed Birch and Cameron Baker. The tractor driver was Paul May, deputy launch authority Andy Mitchell, shore crew Ian Fletcher, Jim Brewster, Kyle Baker, Toby Hoggarth, Mark Davies, Andy Horsley, and Brian Taylor.

The Exmouth inshore lifeboat crew were helm Harry Griffin with Nick Wright and Geoff Mills. Other volunteers involved were deputy launch authority Rick Newcombe, tractor driver Robert Thompson, head launcher Scott Ranft and shore crew Steve Woodbridge.

Safety advice on yacht sailing and motorboating can be found on the RNLI's website