Falmouth’s lifeboat launched three times within 12 hours yesterday on a busy Sunday for the volunteer crew.

The first call came early, at 12.55am, when both the inshore lifeboat and the larger all-weather lifeboat shortly afterwards were launched to reports of shouts for help being heard from Penryn River, near Greenbank.

The inshore lifeboat soon found the casualty on a pontoon, having been helped from the water by a member of the public.

An RNLI spokesperson said: "The casualty had fallen into the water from a tender and luckily several people heard their calls for help, with one member of the public launching a paddle board to help them from the water to a nearby pontoon.

"Once on scene, two volunteer crew were placed on the pontoon to provide casualty care."

Read next: Alcohol-fuelled 'altercation' leads to multiple boats crash near Falmouth

The all-weather lifeboat arrived on scene not long afterwards, with a doctor on board as one of the existing lifeboat volunteer crew.

The casualty was transferred across the water and taken to the Prince of Wales Pier and into the care of waiting ambulance paramedics.

The all-weather lifeboat then made its way back to the station, whilst the inshore lifeboat returned to the scene to check that the tender from which the person had fallen was secured.

Falmouth Packet:

The Falmouth inshore lifeboat crew heading out again

Both lifeboats were refuelled and ready for service again by 3am - and just as well, as little more than three hours later, at 6.42am, another request came in for the inshore lifeboat to launch.

Leaving the station, and making their way towards the Helford River, the inshore lifeboat crew found a 12-metre yacht caught on fishing gear near Nare Head.

Read next: Stunning photos of comet over Falmouth (and now a new meteor shower is coming)

Crew members were put aboard the yacht to help with disentangling the equipment, and due to potential rudder and engine damage the yacht was towed to across Mylor Harbour.

Having made the inshore lifeboat ready for service by 10.45am, the third shout of the day came only 20 minutes later, when Falmouth Coastguard tasked the lifeboat to launch following a DSC (digital selective calling) distress call.

The inshore lifeboat headed to a motorboat that was believed to have suffered engine failure near Porthmellin Head and escorted it to St Mawes Harbour.

The inshore lifeboat and crew were then stood down and returned to Falmouth lifeboat station for some much deserved rest.

The volunteer lifeboat crew members involved in Sunday’s shouts were Carl Beardmore (deputy second coxswain), Dave Nicoll, Sandy Procter, Tamsin Mulcahy, Andy Edwards, Caden Harris, Jemima Henstridge-Blows, Neil Capper (helmsman), Nick Head, Tamara Brookes, Joe Amps and Chris Simpson.