The RNLI and the coastguard had a manic few days last week with spinal injuries, cries for help and spotted floating persons keeping the emergency service on its toes.

On Friday, June 29, the police was notified by a person in Kingswear that a lady was heard to be calling for help in the water in the area of Warfleet Creek.

The police helicopter was already near by and was diverted to carry out an aerial search, but found nothing abnormal.

Hence, the police requested the Berryhead and Dartmouth coastguard team and the Dartmouth lifeboat crew carry out a further search.

However nothing was found and it was deemed a false alarm with good intent as there were reports of youths in the area making some noise.

The Dartmouth Coastguard commented: “In any instance like this, dialling 999 and requesting the coastguard was the right thing to do and always advised, as there could genuinely be a person in need of help.”

The coastguard team also had to search for a person off Blackpool Sands last Saturday, June 30.

At around 5.30pm, the Dartmouth Coastguard team and RNLI Dart was tasked to a search for a person swept away from Blackpool Sands towards Mathew’s Point.

The Dart Lifeboat crew was also tasked to carry out a shore search while the coastguard spoke to the informer and conducted a search from the cliff top.

The lifeboat crew talked to three swimmers in the area and a kayaker who had been going past. None required help or had been waving although Dart RNLI said it was possible a paddle of the kayaker could have been mistaken for a waving arm in the choppy sea.

After a thorough search the coastguard and lifeboat teams liaised and both were stood down.

Later on Saturday, after being stood down, the coastguard team was tasked alongside Dart RNLI to reports of a person in the water just south of the National Coastwatch Institution Froward Point lookout station.

The coastguard teams rerouted to Dartmouth Castle to help in the search and to provide communications back-up.

The Dart Lifeboat crew was guided to the casualty from the watch officer at NCI Froward Point and once at the scene confirmed the sighting was a fishing marker.

What was previously believed to be a yellow rucksack turned out to be a yellow crab pot buoy, confirmed Dart RNLI.

Dartmouth coastguard confirmed the call out was a false alarm but with good intent. The emergency service team said it was a “good night working alongside other agencies”.

Later that evening, a passenger on a six metre RIB injured himself when the boat unexpectedly hit a wave.

The RIB returned to Darthaven Marina as the casualty was in acute pain, but was advised by Dartmouth coastguard to go to the double steps on the Dartmouth side of the river where the casualty could be brought ashore with help from the RNLI and coastguard teams.

The lifeboat team transported the casualty on a stretcher to the shore where he was treated for spinal injury and secured by the coastguard team.

He was then transferred to an ambulance and taken onwards to hospital.

Dartmouth Coastguard commented: “This was a great multi-agency rescue where working together has provided the casualty with the best possible care.”