Tenby RNLI lifeboat volunteers had a hectic Bank Holiday with six launches on the Sunday alone, providing rescue operations throughout the day.

Both the all-weather and inshore lifeboats were launched at around 9.15am on May 24, after a report that a kayaker hadn’t returned to the Llansteffan area after launching the evening before.

The volunteer crews were initially tasked to search between Monkstone Point and Ginst Point, with both Burry Port lifeboats, Ferryside inshore rescue boat, a Coastguard rescue helicopter and Burry Port and Llansteffan Coastguard rescue teams searching other areas.

It was soon reported that the kayaker had been located safe and well in the Burry Port area, having camped there overnight.With no more assistance required, the lifeboats were stood down to return to station, arriving back at Tenby at 9.50am.

Across the bay, Ferryside Lifeboat had initially been tasked to the call during the early hours at 1.30am hours to search for the reported overdue missing kayaker.

Launching in zero visibility, five crew on our two lifeboats searched along the coast from Laugharne to Carmathen Town. With nothing found both boats were stood down and returned to the lifeboat station at 4.30am . This was another multi-agency search involving colleagues from HM CG and Burry Port RNLI.

Following the morning shout on Sunday, both Tenby lifeboats were again requested to launch, this time at 9.40pm, after several people were reported to possibly need assistance on the rocks at Manorbier.

The boats were quickly on the water and as they were making way, a report came through from Police and Coastguards on scene that the people were safe and well and there was no assistance required, so the lifeboats were stood down to return to station.

As the inshore lifeboat was passing Lydstep, they were tasked to investigate lights on the cliffs in Lydstep bay. The crew quickly spotted the reported lights, but it was apparent that it was a climber that had just made it to the top of the cliff and was in no danger, so the boat carried on back to station.

The final shout of the day came for the inshore lifeboat shortly before 11pm, after a 7.1 metre rib reported engine failure off Old Castle Head, near Manorbier.

The volunteer crew were on scene a short while later and with the casualty vessel having no propulsion and in danger of drifting toward the rocks, the occupants of the vessel requested a tow back to Freshwater East.

With the rib now safely at Freshwater East, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station for the final time that night, arriving just after midnight.