Volunteers of the town's RNLI crew were interrupted during their training session on Sunday morning.

At 11.30 on April 14, during an exercise on the ILB George Bearman II, this training had to be quickly applied in practice after a 6.5 metre RIB and its lone occupant requested direct assistance from our volunteer crew.

The RIB had suffered engine failure around Mamhead slipway and was drifting towards moorings. Despite attempts to restart the engine, it would not start.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: "We were conscious of the moorings and the rapid tidal flow, the ILB Helm made the decision to secure the RIB alongside and take it to the safety of Exmouth Marina."

As well as being an unexpected outcome from a training exercise, it was also the first incident for trainee ILB crew Tim Thorn.

A spokesman added: "Well done to Tim on doing such a good job, on what will no doubt be the first of many shouts he attends in the future."