MINEHEAD'S Atlantic 75 lifeboat was called to the rescue of three men who ran into difficulties while raising funds for the Seamen's Mission last Wednesday.

The owner of the 19ft fishing boat and two young men had set off from their home town, Newlyn in Cornwall, earlier in the day on the charity event.

But at 5pm, some two miles north of Watchet, the boat suffered engine failure - believed to have been caused by contaminated fuel.

The tide was at low water, so the lifeboat, with helmsman Andrew Escott in charge, took the fishing boat in tow to a safe anchorage off Culvercliffe.

However, one of the young men became violently seasick and Minehead's D class lifeboat, with helmsman Paul Arnold in charge, went to the scene. The two crewmen were taken aboard and returned to the lifeboat station for treatment.

At 8pm, after two hours at anchor off Minehead, the Atlantic 75 crew helped the fishing boat on to a mooring in the harbour where the skipper could begin repairs.

The charity event involved following a course from Newlyn around and up the North Cornwall and Devon coast into the Severn estuary and on to London and the Thames, returning to Newlyn via the English Channel.

Minehead lifeboat station secretary Kevin Escott said: "This was an unfortunate incident believed to have been caused by contaminated fuel.

"There is no criticism of the boat owner and we wish the crew good luck with their fund raising efforts."