A pleasure trip ended in a callout for a lifeboat crew this afternoon (Wednesday) when a small boat suffered engine failure and began drifting off the Suffolk coast.

A small rigid inflatable boat (rib) had been on a trip to take a family to see the seals on Scroby Sands when the engine failed on their return journey.

The two adults and two children on the rib radioed their predicament to the UK Coastguard who called out Lowestoft RNLI relief lifeboat RNLB Cosandra at 3.50pm to go to the aid of the vessel.

Area lifesaving manager Lee Firman said: 'Our volunteer crew soon launched the lifeboat and headed to the stranded vessel which was just offshore south of Corton.

'When we arrived we found that the crew on the four-metre rib, who were all wearing lifejackets, had managed to drop anchor, which was holding despite a fresh south-east breeze and a good ebb tide running which was trying to push the craft to the north.

'The adults on board said that the outboard engine on the craft had failed and they began to drift and realised that they needed help.

'A tow line was attached to the rib and they were safely towed into the Yacht Basin at Lowestoft.'