The Wells lifeboat station crew has been out on two rescue missions within 24 hours.

The inshore lifeboat was used to help two people and five dogs cut off by tide at 3.50pm yesterday.

Twenty four hours earlier, the all-weather lifeboat assisted after a small yacht that was making little headway in rough seas.

The inshore lifeboat was launched within minutes of Wednesday's call to the west side of the harbour channel. One of the dogs didn't want to get into the lifeboat, so the crew took two people and four of the dogs ashore and then went back for the third person and the remaining dog.

It was persuaded to get on board and both dog and owner were ferried safely ashore, returning to the boathouse at just after 4:30pm.

At 3.45pm on Tuesday, the all-weather lifeboat Doris M Mann of Ampthill was requested by Humber coastguards to go to the aid of Obsession, a 22' yacht which was on a passage from King's Lynn to Wells.

The crew, a man and a woman, had been battling against headwind and rough seas for several hours and making little progress when the wind increased to the force five, north-north east.

Doris Mann launched at 3.58pm.

A tow was attached, two miles off Burnham Overy, and the lifeboat took the yacht into Wells, arriving at the outer harbour at 5.30pm.

The woman suffered bruising to her arm.

• Wells RNLI is running a public campaign to raise funds towards a new lifeboat, aiming to raise £250,000 towards the £2m cost of the lifeboat.

• For more details, visit www.rnli.org/howtosupportus/donatenow/appeals/Pages/wells-appeal-donate.aspx