DRAMATIC video and photographs have emerged on social media of the rescue of former Watchet Post Office and shop manager Alfie Wright after his yacht ran aground on a notorious coastline in Cornwall.

Mr Wright lived on his 42-foot yacht Penn-Ultimate in the town’s harbour when he ran the store in Swain Street, but he recently left Watchet and was sailing to Padstow when the mishap occurred.

He told rescuers he ‘took a wrong turn’ in the dark and ran aground on Polzeath beach along the Camel estuary to Padstow.

He was thought to have confused lights in Polzeath with those of Padstow and mistaken a defibrillator green light for a navigation aid.

The incident happened as Mr Wright crossed a stretch of water which used to be known as ‘Hell Bay’.

Coastguards discuss how to save Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate after it ran aground in North Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.A Coastguard team in dry suits wade through the surf to reach the stricken Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate on a Cornish beach. PHOTYO: Padstow Coastguards.Former Watchet postmaster Alfie Wright is rescued by Coastguards after his yacht ran aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.The yacht Penn-Ultimate, from Watchet, remained beached in Cornwall throughout the night. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.Left high and dry, the watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate grounded on the beach in Polzeath, Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.The beached yacht Penn-Ultimate became an attraction for residents and visitors to Polzeath, in Cornwall.The yacht Penn-Ultimate, from Watchet, lies beached on the Cornish coast.A view of the beached Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate showing how close it came to running onto rocks on the Cornish coast near Padstow. PHOTO: Rock RNLI.Watchet's Alfie Wright sees his yacht Penn-Ultimate start to be refloated after running aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Coastguards.Alfie Wright's yacht is pounded by the surf as a rescue effort gets underway after it ran aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.Crowds watch from the beach in Polzeath as Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimte is refloated. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.A harbourmaster's boat tows the yacht Penn-Ultimate off the beach in Polzeath. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.Coastguards and RNLI crew watched as the yacht Penn-Ultimate was towed back to sea after beaching in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Coastguards.

Coastguards discuss how to save Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate after it ran aground in North Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.

A Coastguard team in dry suits wade through the surf to reach the stricken Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate on a Cornish beach. PHOTYO: Padstow Coastguards.

Former Watchet postmaster Alfie Wright is rescued by Coastguards after his yacht ran aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.

The yacht Penn-Ultimate, from Watchet, remained beached in Cornwall throughout the night. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.

Left high and dry, the watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate grounded on the beach in Polzeath, Cornwall. PHOTO: Padstow Coastguards.

The beached yacht Penn-Ultimate became an attraction for residents and visitors to Polzeath, in Cornwall.

The yacht Penn-Ultimate, from Watchet, lies beached on the Cornish coast.

A view of the beached Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimate showing how close it came to running onto rocks on the Cornish coast near Padstow. PHOTO: Rock RNLI.

Watchet's Alfie Wright sees his yacht Penn-Ultimate start to be refloated after running aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Coastguards.

Alfie Wright's yacht is pounded by the surf as a rescue effort gets underway after it ran aground in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.

Crowds watch from the beach in Polzeath as Watchet yacht Penn-Ultimte is refloated. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.

A harbourmaster's boat tows the yacht Penn-Ultimate off the beach in Polzeath. PHOTO: Polzeath Walks.

Coastguards and RNLI crew watched as the yacht Penn-Ultimate was towed back to sea after beaching in Cornwall. PHOTO: Polzeath Coastguards.

The error led to a dangerous rescue mission by Cornish Coastguards and lifeboat crews who took Mr Wright to safety and secured his yacht until efforts could be made to refloat the vessel on the following day’s high tide.

It took two attempts before a harbourmaster boat eventually towed the yacht to Padstow for an inspection of any damage.

The keel of Mr Wright’s vessel grounded in the shallow water and Penn-Ultimate became stuck on the sands at the mercy of waves which tossed it around throughout the night.

Hundreds of local residents turned out to watch the spectacle, some of whom initially tried to help rescue the stranded vessel.

Coastguards secured the beach with a cordon to keep people at a safe distance and three of the Polzeath team put on dry suits to go into the water to help Mr Wright to reach the shore, while lifeboats from Padstow and Rock stood off beyond the surf in case they were needed.

A Padstow Coastguard spokesperson said: “When the teams arrived, the tide had already dropped and the vessel was in shallow waters.

“Members of the Polzeath team used a water rescue technique to first liaise with the skipper and then to safely bring him back to the beach.

“The teams carried out crowd control and kept members of the public at a safe distance from the vessel.

“Following discussions among all parties involved, it was agreed that the safest option was to wait for the tide to come back in and then relaunch the vessel.”

The next day, a Padstow harbourmaster boat crew attached a line to the Penn-Ultimate while the beach was closed and RNLI lifeguards kept people at a safe distance as the rescue operation was carried out on the afternoon tide.

Polzeath beach ranger Andy Stewart said refloating the Penn-Ultimate overnight had been considered but was thought too dangerous and a decision was taken to wait until daylight.

Mr Stewart said: “It is lucky that the boat is still in one piece with the swell we have been having.

“If it had run up on the rocks, it would have been a different story.”

The Free Press has not been able to contact Mr Wright.