A LIFEBOAT crew was called out four times in four days.

Harwich RNLI volunteers were paged four times between Thursday, August 15 and Sunday, August 18 and assisted three yachts.

After attending a local incident on Thursday at 2pm, the inshore lifeboat was in action again shortly after 6.30pm to help a grounded yacht with two people on board just down river from Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

On arrival, a tow was established and the boat was towed into deeper water.

The lifeboat crew attended Ipswich Maritime Festival with the all weather lifeboat on Saturday.

Shortly after midday on Sunday, August 18, the pagers were activated for the launch of the inshore lifeboat to a broken down yacht outside Harwich Harbour.

The 30ft vessel with two people onboard had broken down while on passage, and despite initial attempts to make their way into Harwich under sail, further issues lead to the occupants requesting assistance.

On arrival at the scene, the boat was towed and taken to Shotley Marina, in Suffolk.

The inshore lifeboat was launched again at 9.30pm on Sunday to a yacht which had run aground at the entrance to the river Deben.

A Harwich RNLI spokesman said: "On arrival at the scene, the crew of the inshore lifeboat found the yacht hard aground and being hit by the breaking swell.

"The crew managed to get a line on to the yacht, towed it in to deeper water, and then onwards to Ha’Penny Pier, Harwich."