LIFEBOAT officials in Minehead are calling for more to be done to alert visitors to the dangers of the Bristol Channel’s huge tides after volunteer crews carried out two rescues in the space of an hour.

In the first, a day tripper "was in a pretty desperate situation" as he had to build a pile of rocks and climb onto it after becoming trapped at the foot of cliffs.

And in the second, a woman’s relaxing evening swim ended up with her clinging to a rock surround by a whirlpool caused by the incoming tide.

The first incident involved a man who had gone for a walk along the beach at East Quantoxhead but, after stopping for a sandwich, found he was trapped by the tide and unable to move in either direction.

Although he could get no mobile phone signal, he managed to text his girlfriend, who alerted coastguards.

The crew of Minehead’s D class boat finally located him with the help of directions from a local fishing boat which was keeping him under observation.

While that was in progress, Minehead’s Atlantic 85 was ordered to make a 15-mile dash west to Hurlestone Point near Porlock to look for another victim of the highest tide of the month.

The 23-year-old woman had gone for a swim off Bossington Beach but was carried by strong currents onto the rocks beneath 800-foot cliffs.

The location was so dangerous the boat was unable to approach her, but crew member Jim Whittaker swam in 50 yards with a line and secured her.