VOLUNTEER lifeboat crews were called out ten times in just over a week, including to reports of a missing swimmer in Dovercourt.

Harwich RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was called to Dovercourt Bay at about 6pm on Monday

The lifeboat was launched within minutes after an informant reported spotting a small pile of belongings and observed the owner going towards the water and starting a swim. After The informant continued along the promenade and on returning noticed the belongings were still present but the swimmer was nowhere in sight.

On arrival at the scene, the inshore lifeboat put a crew member ashore to speak to the first informant before searching the area.

Additional crew members arrived at the scene by road to search the shore line, closely followed by the Coastguard mobile unit from Walton and the Coastguard Helicopter 163.

As the search continued in reducing light, a lifeboat crew member spotted somebody exiting the water at the Stone Pier in Harwich.

Crew member Daniel Sime said: “Contact was quickly made with the individual to confirm it was their belongings near the lighthouses, and importantly, to confirm the person was OK.

“The member of the public did exactly the right thing.

“Having been concerned for the whereabouts of another member of the public, knowing somebody had entered the water alone, but was nowhere to be seen just minutes later, putting in a 999 call to the Coastguard ensured that Search and Rescue resources were tasked to the scene.

“Thankfully, the individual was ok on this occasion although no doubt tired given the distance covered.

“Thank you to the informant for being vigilant and to everybody involved in locating the swimmer.”

Both lifeboats were also in action last Friday after they were launched to locate and assist a Kayaker.

The kayaker had been out for the afternoon but with the tide falling, they ended up stranded close to Mistley Quay.

The crews recovered the kayaker and brought him back to Harwich lifeboat station to warm up.

The lifeboats were called to a 37ft motor cruiser reported to be aground near Earlhams on September 1, but following the launch it was discovered the vessel was closer to Burnham-on-Crouch, following which Burnham’s lifeboat was launched.

On Bank Holiday Monday, both Harwich lifeboats were launched following a Mayday call from a yacht.

The yacht was aground at the entrance to the river Deben.

By the time the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene, the yacht had re-floated on the incoming tide and both lifeboats escorted the vessel to the safety of Shotley marina.

The Bank Holiday weekend started with three separate incidents on August 27, including to a sailing vessel in the river Stour that was aground and taking on water, a person in the water in the river Orwell and to a windsurfer thought to be in difficulty off Dovercourt Bay.

A spokesman said: “It has been a busy period for the volunteers with a real mix of incidents.

“Thankfully the outcome has been generally positive.

“As the summer starts to draw to a close, with the temperature dropping away, and the hours of day light reducing, it is worth a reminder to everybody taking to the water to really take care, plan their trip or day out, and know what to do if things do start to go wrong.

“As has been our message throughout the summer, we urge everybody to respect the water.”