MEMBERS of Portishead’s lifeboat crew have issued a warning after two fishermen were cut off from the shore by the tide.

The men were on the town’s pier, at the marina, on Monday morning when they made a call to HM Coastguard to say they had been cut off.

The town’s lifeboat was dispatched and the crew discovered the men stood on a bollard, surrounded by water, halfway along the pier.

As the water had already reached its highest point at that time, they opted to stay on the bollard and carry on fishing while the water levels lowered.

Members of the coastguard stayed at the scene, however, until the men could safely walk back to shore.

Lifeboat volunteer Dave Herbert said: “We have this week seen one of the biggest tides of the year.

“I would warn people to be vigilant and check tide times and heights of tide before venturing out on the water, or the coast.”