Newquay RNLI crew rescue man and dog from harbour in early morning call-out

Newquay RNLI volunteers rescued a man and his dog from the water in Newquay Harbour after being called out twice within half an hour in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The charity's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was first paged at 3.31am after Falmouth Coastguard requested assistance in the search for a missing person believed to be in the water at Holywell Bay.

As crew assembled at the lifeboat station, the incident was stood down after the potential casualty was found safe ashore.

However, just minutes after volunteers had begun returning home, a second emergency call came in at 3.53am requesting an immediate launch after reports that a man and his dog were in difficulty in the water at Newquay Harbour.

As crew rushed back to the station, they could hear the casualty shouting for help. A local fisherman, who had raised the alarm, had spotted the man and his dog clinging to his boat.

Volunteer crew quickly donned their protective equipment and used tractor headlights and shore-based searchlights to locate the casualty, who was in significant distress among several moored boats close to the shore.

As the RNLI's D Class lifeboat was being launched, crew were able to bring the man safely ashore and into the lifeboat station.

Members of Newquay Coastguard Rescue Team, including a trained paramedic, treated the casualty, who was suffering from the effects of the cold after spending some time in the water. He was later taken to hospital by South Western Ambulance Service for further assessment.

The RNLI said the man and his dog were reunited later that morning, with the casualty thanking the volunteer crew for saving his life and caring for his dog.