A North Devon lobster fisherman was rescued by Minehead’s volunteer lifeboat crew after his boat broke down close to notorious Foreland Point.

The Lynmouth-based skipper was laying pots from his 23-foot vessel when it suffered engine failure and was left drifting close to notorious Foreland Point on Tuesday afternoon.

Coastguards alerted the Minehead crew after communications with him were lost.

Minehead’s Atlantic 85 was launched immediately and found the boat drifting dangerously close to rocks under the headland.

The crew set up a stern tow to pull him clear then switched to an alongside tow to return to the boat to its moorings in Lynmouth harbour.

Minehead lifeboat helm Phil Sanderson said: “He was in quite a difficult situation, fairly close in to the rocks. Luckily conditions were calm and there was barely any wind but he was still very glad to see us.”