The sighting of a black object – thought to be a liferaft – in the sea off Lowestoft brought rescue services to investigate.

Lowestoft's RNLI Lifeboat and Coastguard rescue officers from Lowestoft were called out at 10.38am on Tuesday, April 30 to search for the object reported to be about two miles off the pier heads.

Lifeboat Second Coxswain Karl Jackson said: 'Someone had spotted the object and alerted the UK Coastguard.

'Using their directions we launched our lifeboat 'Patsy Knight' and headed to the position close to the East Newcome sand buoy.

'On arrival we found a black tidal buoy alongside the marker, which had been there for at least two to three years and was marked on our charts.

'The buoy is black and could be mistaken for a small model boat with an aerial on top.

'It floats there recording tidal and wave data.

'So it was a false alarm with good intent.'