A rescue mission has been stood down after a report of a sailing vessel in distress off the Norfolk coast.

Sheringham lifeboat, The Oddfellows B 818, was launched when the alert was issued at around 9.50am this morning.

It followed a call to the coastguard station from two female holidaymakers at a Beeston caravan park who reported seeing a yacht in difficulty.

The informants are belived to have mistaken rig supply safety vessel the Rachael S, which has two masts, for a large yacht.

The RNLI crew were joined in the search by a guard vessel from Sheringham Shoal Windfarm and passing merchant ships.

Sheringham Coastguard station officer Jerry Woodley said: 'We are treating it as a false alarm with good intent.'