DART Lifeboat had its first launch of the year on Saturday evening when it was tasked to help a yacht having problems in high winds.

Daniel Seed and his son, visiting yachtsmen from Preston, Lancashire, called the Coastguard just after 7pm when they saw a 22ft Hurley yacht having problems in the 25 knot winds in the darkness in the harbour. They were blown ashore 80 yards south of the Bayard’s Fort.

Some of the lifeboat crew piled out of a local restaurant close by to answer the call.

The yacht with two people on board had been on passage from Dawlish to Plymouth and made for Dartmouth as the winds increased and their engine became unusable.

By the time the lifeboat crew arrived the yacht was pinned by the wind to the shore and the Seeds helped the crew to lower their sails.

Will Davis, a recent volunteer to join the RNLI crew, was put on board and the lifeboat towed the vessel to the Town Quay.