TWO tubeless swimming rings spotted drifting off Dunster beach on the flood tide caused "serious concern" for two young girls who earlier had been seen swimming with the rings.

But, after an operation involving both Minehead lifeboats, it was found that the girls, aged ten and 12, had left the rings on the beach and were safe with their families.

The alarm went up at 9.30pm on Monday - at a time when dense sea mist reduced visibility at times to less than 200 yards.

Minehead's Atlantic 75 and 16ft D class lifeboats were called out by the coastguard at Swansea and searched the channel for the 'missing' girls.

Meanwhile, enquiries were made about the girls, who were on holiday from Billericay, in Essex.

The lifeboat crew later recovered the swimming rings near to Blue Anchor Bay - nearly two miles from where they had first been sighted drifting on the tide.

Lifeboat secretary Kevin Escott said: "This incident was reported with good intention and, of course, could have had a tragic outcome.

"Fortunately, there is a happy ending on this occasion, with the girls being located safe and well."

l Fishing boat Leo Jane was towed into Minehead harbour by the Atlantic 75 lifeboat after it developed engine failure on Tuesday morning.

The boat owner, from Swansea, had set sail alone from Minehead and had on board a small inflatable boat with an auxiliary engine.

But to use it would have meant abandoning Leo Jane and leaving it unmanned in the channel, so at 10.35am help was requested.

The lifeboat, with helmsman James Guscott in charge, located the 21ft fishing boat four miles off shore and brought it back to Minehead. the boat was placed on a visitor's mooring so that the engine could be repaired.