A REPORT of someone calling for help on the cliff paths on North Hill at Minehead led to a major search last Thursday evening.

The Minehead, Watchet and Lynmouth Coastguard teams and local police officers began a land search whilst both Minehead lifeboats carried out a shoreline search from the water.

Joined by the police helicopter from St Athan in South wales, the search continued into the night, with HM Coastguard’s helicopter from Newquay arriving on scene and undertaking a detailed thermal and spotlight search from Hurlstone Point to Greenaleigh Farm.

But at 1.30am on Friday morning, happy that there was no one in distress, the Coastguard teams were stood down along with the helicopter and returned to their stations.

“This call was with good intent and the informant genuinely believed they heard someone calling out,” said a Coastguard spokesman.

“Due to the terrain and previous incidents at this location, it was requested the area was searched thoroughly.”

n Watchet Coastguard was called to the incident having only just returned to their station after another incident.

They had been called out to check a suspicious item on Watchet’s West Street beach.

A heavily corroded piece of metal was thought to be possible unexploded ordinance by the finder, but on arrival the Coastguards deemed it inert and not suspicious.