The Lowestoft lifeboat was launched after a 999 call reporting a yacht in distress this evening.

A member of the public phoned the suspected incident in at 5.58pm today, prompting coastguard teams and the lifeboat to respond.

Coastguard crews were able to establish that the vessel, off Ness Point, was not in difficulty and it was able to return to the shore without assistance.

An officer at the Humber Coastguard operations centre decribed the 999 call as a 'false alarm with good intent' and said the member of the public had done the right thing by reporting their concerns.

John Fox, coxswain of Lowestoft lifeboat, said his crew was mobilised at 6.07pm after they were contacted by the coastguard.

He said there was a suggestion that a person was in the sea next to a small yacht.

'We quickly arrived at the location of the reported sighting but there were no vessels in that area at all,' he said. 'As there was a good flood tide running with the wind behind it - we then searched to the South as far as the South Holm Buoy but found nothing - so Humber Coastguard stood us down and we returned to our mooring.'