Thames Coastguards at Walton were stretched to capacity as they dealt with one of their busiest days of the year with rescues including yachts, boats, jet bikes and swimmers.

In just 12 hourson Sunday, in a mixture of sunshine and thick fog, they tackled 29 incidents along the east coast.

Richard Snape, watch officer at Walton, said that while those on duty coped with the work they were pushed to the very limits.

"I don't know whether people decided to make the most of what might be the last of the summer sun but it was a very interesting and taxing day for those on duty," he said.

"We had incidents involving yachts, boats, speedboats, jet bikes, swimmers, you name it. We were kept busy from Suffolk through Essex and right down to Herne Bay in Kent."

Mr Snape said everyone was located and rescued - despite conditions which deteriorated throughout the day.

"It got very foggy as the day wore on and visibility was considerably reduced which made things even more difficult," he added.

"It also meant that some of those out on the sea had totally lost their bearings."

In the afternoon, Clacton lifeboat was launched to go to the East Barrow Sands to assist Walton lifeboat locate the yacht Snipe which had run aground.

Between them the lifeboats worked out a plan to find the yacht using radar equipment and found it just before 5pm.

Clacton lifeboat pulled the yacht clear of the sands and handed over to Walton which towed it back into Brightlingsea, arriving back around 8.30pm.

At lunchtime another boat got in trouble on the Barrow Sands and Southend lifeboat was called in to get it free.

Just before 2pm a speedboat with a Clacton family on board fouled its propellers off Holland Haven. It had got caught up in nets and had to be towed ashore.

Then at 4pm the Walton Backwaters warden went out to help a 34ft yacht, Bear, which had gone aground.

The skipper was given advice on where to go but it got lost again once the fog came down. Harwich lifeboat was sent out to look for her north of the Naze and was hampered by the poor visibility.

There were two people on board and the yacht had run aground. She was towed off and escorted to Shotley.

At around 7pm there was a report of a jet biker in trouble off Hutleys Beach at St Osyth but he got ashore unaided.

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