Three people and two dogs have been rescued from the marshes around Wells after the lifeboat was called out this evening.

But an inflatable dinghy had managed to reach the group before the lifeboat got to the location and brought two of the party back to dry land.

A spokesman for Wells lifeboat station said they were called just after 7pm to reports of people on the marshes opposite the Pinewoods Caravan park.

'Before the boat got to them somebody had been and collected two of them in an inflatable dinghy,' he said.

'We launched and got to the group left on the marsh. We brought one ashore and two dogs. They will be given words of advice no doubt.'

The group are believed to have been visitors to the area.

The lifeboat was back at the station at 7.21pm.