A lifeboat was called out to bring a Dutch fisherman ashore after he received news of a death in his family.

The volunteer crew of Lowestoft's RNLI Lifeboat was alerted last night (Tuesday, August 1) to go to the aid of the crewman on the trawler, which was six miles north-east of Lowestoft.

Lowestoft's relief lifeboat 'Reg' was launched just before 8pm to bring the Dutch fisherman ashore for compassionate reasons.

Lifeboat coxswain John Fox said: 'The 42-metre family owned trawler, based in Ijmuiden, had been fishing off the coast when they received news of a death in their family and they called for help to bring one of the crew ashore – so that he could return home.

'We responded and landed the man at the lifeboat station at 8.45pm where our lifeboat chaplain, Senior Superintendent Tim Jenkins, met him. Tim them drove him to Norwich ready for a flight back to the Netherlands in the morning.'