Volunteers from Falmouth RNLI were called to rescue a family in inflatable kayaks who had been struggling back to Loe Beach in bad weather on Thursday afternoon.

The crew had been in the inshore lifeboat on excercise off St Anthony Lighthouse when Falmouth Coastguard asked them to help the two kayaks with three people on board, which had been reported by the yacht Lucy to be struggling in the prevailing conditions.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “The inshore lifeboat arrived on scene at 3.34pm and found that the yacht Lucy already had one of the casualties alongside the boat while to two man kayak continued to try and make headway back towards Loe Beach.

“The first casualty and kayak was taken on board the inshore lifeboat before then recovering the second kayak and the other two casualties.”

The group, which had been struggling against increasing winds after paddling into the Carrick Roads, was taken to the beach and safely landed just before 4pm.

The volunteer crew was: Claire Angove (Helmsman), Nick Head, Thomas Telford, Tom Pedersen