PORTISHEAD's Coastguard team has had a busy start to March.

Over the weekend, the life-saving crew were called to four taskings in just three days.

This included checking out reports of a casualty at Sugar Loaf Beach and helping to search for a missing person.

The specialist rescue team worked closely with members of other emergency services, including Avon and Somerset Police and the ambulance service.

Coastguard teams work tirelessly up and down to country to save lives.

A Portishead Coastguard spokesperson said: "March has started with a busy weekend of 4 taskings in 3 days. Taskings 11, 12, 13 and 14 for this year.

"21:32 on the first of March to a casualty in the water at Sugar Loaf Beach, Portishead.

"On arrival casualty was safely ashore with Avon and Somerset Police. Team completed first aid checks, once the team ascertained casualty was ok and that no further assistance was required they were stood down.

"Saturday 19:21 team was tasked to Bristol for a missing person search with Clevedon Coastguard and Weston-super-Mare Coastguard Rescue team.

"Early into this tasking, the RNLI Portishead identified a different casualty on the foreshore. Fortunately Coastguard teams were located a short distance from the casualty and were immediately diverted to casualty located in distress.

"Quick actions by the RNLI putting crew into the water to safely rescue the casualty and transport them to a nearby location for Coastguard, Police, Avon Fire & Rescue Service, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and HART (Hazardous Area Response Teams) to assist the casualty and stretcher them to a land Ambulance for onwards transport to hospital.

"Teams then reengaged on the earlier tasking of searching for the missing person. After all searches were complete teams were stood down at 23:30.

"Sunday 09:39 we were re-tasked with, RNLI Portishead and Police drone team to continue the search for the missing person from the previous night. Specific areas were identified and searched with nothing found team stood down at 14:00."