A person was airlifted to hospital and two holiday cruisers ran aground on what was a busy day for Norfolk's rescue teams.

Eastern Daily Press: The RAF search and rescue helicopter took a patient to the James Paget Hospital after picking them up from the River Bure at Acle. Photo by HM Coastguard Gorleston.The RAF search and rescue helicopter took a patient to the James Paget Hospital after picking them up from the River Bure at Acle. Photo by HM Coastguard Gorleston. (Image: Archant)

A search and rescue helicopter was called to the River Bure at Acle yesterday afternoon.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the RAF helicopter rescued a person with a suspected broken ankle - with passers by praising the pilot who hovered above trees while the casualty was lifted into the helicopter. The injured person was taken to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston for treatment.

A few hours later, at 2.45pm, HM Coastguard at Gorleston and the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI lifeboat was tasked by Humber coastguard to help a boat that had run aground on Breydon Water.

The 37-foot private cruiser 'Ocean Bell' was on route to Lowestoft when it got stuck in the mud.

Eastern Daily Press: A hired cruiser stuck in the mud on Breydon Water at 7pm on June 20. Photo by HM Coastguard Gorleston.A hired cruiser stuck in the mud on Breydon Water at 7pm on June 20. Photo by HM Coastguard Gorleston. (Image: Archant)

Denise Kilpatrick, lifeboat crew member, said the two couples on board were on a holiday from Rugby to celebrate their joint wedding anniversaries of 28 years.

'The inshore lifeboat reached the cruiser and it was clear they would not be able to get it off the mud until at least the next high tide,' said Mrs Kilpatrick.

'The decision was made by helmsman Rod Wells and the crew to take the four people off and bring them ashore.'

The couples were taken to Great Yarmouth Yacht Station and the cruiser made safe until it can be refloated, probably later this afternoon.

The Broads Authority's Spirit of Breydon patrol boat also attended.

At 7.15pm, the lifeboat crew and coastguard were called again after a hirer cruiser, with eight people on board, ran aground on Breydon Water while heading for Yarmouth.

Mrs Kilpatrick said the men on board were on holiday from the Midlands, and were all fine and well.

The lifeboat crew made the decision to pull the cruiser off the mud and, after a couple of attempts, were able to tow it free.