The volunteers of Falmouth's RNLI lifeboat crew put to see again on Friday to rescue an injured man who had fallen while sailing to the port from Eastbourne.

Pagers sounded at 10.30am, and the crew was asked to go to the aid if the 38ft yacht Laurent Giles, crewed by two people, one of whom had fallen and injured their ribs and chest.

The difficulties had started for the yacht almost as soon as it left Eastbourne, when the engine gave out and the

crew could not fix it, but as the weather was not too bad they decided to carry on to Falmouth under sail.

Some time later, the weather had worsened and both crew sustained a fall down below, and after the skipper spoke with the coastguard it was decided to call the lifeboat due to the weather and the fact that the yacht had no engine.

The all weather lifeboat found the yacht one mile off the Dodman, and after a little while were able to put Clare Angove and Neil Capper, two members of the lifeboat crew, on board the yacht to assess the condition of the casualties. Another crewman, Tom Bird, was the put onboard to help prepare a tow, while it was considered too risky to attempt to transfer the casualty to the lifeboat in the prevailing conditions.The tow started just after midday and arrived at 1.30pm, and waiting paramedics at Pendennis Marina made the casualty comfortable and administered pain relief before taking him to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

The crew took the yacht and secured her on a mooring in the river where she would be safe until the skipper

could get back to her.

Coxswain Carl Beardmore said: "This was an excellent example of community lifesaving with cooperation between Falmouth coastguard, Falmouth lifeboat, and the paramedics working efficiently on the casualty to make him as comfortable as possible."