PORTISHEAD’S lifeboat volunteers put in a sterling team effort to locate a stranded boat and bring it back to safety on Friday.

At about lunchtime, the crew was called out to assist a boat after it failed to arrive at the town’s marina at a time its owner had scheduled with marina staff.

It had suffered engine failure and was eventually located near Woodspring Bay, off the coast near Weston.

Due to the strong ebbing tide, the catamaran was towed to sheltered water and one lifeboat volunteer was left on board as the owner was by himself.

The remaining crew returned to Portishead where a second lot of volunteers got on board and returned to tow the catamaran to Woodhill Bay near Portishead. There, it was again anchored until a third lifeboat crew took over and towed it back to the town’s marina.

The lifeboat was returned to its boathouse where it was refuelled and cleaned, ready for service again at 8pm.

A lifeboat spokesman said: “This was one of the longest callouts which involved many volunteers, not only crewing the lifeboat, but also helping out shore side.”