Falmouth's RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews were called out twice this morning after a report of a yacht in trouble and a man on a fishing boat with a very serious hand injury.

At just after 8am this morning the pagers were activated for both the all weather and inshore lifeboats to be launched. with the inshore lifeboat sent to the aid of a 24 ft yacht which was reported to be aground near Flushing Yacht Club and the other to evacuate a medical emergency from a fishing boat in the bay.

An RNLI spokesman said: "The inshore lifeboat left the slip at 8:22 and two minutes later was on scene where she found the yacht Puruke hard aground on the rocks and the tide was falling.

"There was nothing the crew could do to get the yacht off the rocks and as there was no one onboard the boat they were released by the coastguard back to the station at 8:53am.

"The all weather lifeboat was preparing for its medivac mission but had to wait a short while for the 34 metre French fishing boat Sail Fort to motor into the bay.

"The lifeboat left her pontoon at 8:38am and proceeded out into Falmouth Bay where she picked up the casualty from the fishing vessel.

"The injured seaman had sustained a very bad hand injury that needed urgent medical attention, so an ambulance had been called for on the radio and the lifeboat brought the casualty into to harbour as quickly as possible and then handed him into the care of the waiting paramedics at 9: 15am.

The lifeboat was released from service at 9:30am, and after refuelling and a wash down, was declared ready for service again by 10:00 am.

• The inshore lifeboat crew were Neil Capper (Helmsman); Andy Jenkin and Tom Telford. The sea state was described by the crew as slight with fair visibility and a force 4-5 blowing from the NNW.

• The all weather lifeboat crew were Carl Beardmore (Coxswain); Di Bush; Andy Jenkin; Jock Chuter and the coxswain’s son Josh Beardmore.