Two 20-year-old walkers who missed the start point of the South West Coast Path ended up being rescued by a volunteer lifeboat crew last night (Thursday). 

The women set out from Minehead to cover the first section of the country’s longest trail which runs for 630 miles to Poole. 

But they mistakenly tried to negotiate their way along a boulder-strewn beach at the foot of 1000-foot cliffs instead of using the cliff top path. 

And when they reached Selworthy Sands, some three miles west of Minehead, they found further progress thwarted by the incoming tide. 

They called for help and within minutes both Minehead lifeboats were launched. The pair were taken off the beach by the crew of the D class and transferred to the Atlantic 85 for a rapid return to the station. 

Minehead RNLI spokesman Dave Smith said: “They were certainly happy to be rescued. The tide was still on the way in and they would have spent a very cold night on the rocks waiting for it to ebb again. 

“Luckily they had one of the things we always urge people to carry when walking around here- a means of calling for help.”

The women were taken to the local youth hostel to spend the night before getting back on the trail tomorrow.