Brixham coastguard tasked Exmouth inshore lifeboat George Bearman at 11 pm on 9 December, on a dark and mild night. The call-out followed a mobile phone call from two stranded fishermen on Bull Hill Bank in the Exe estuary.

The two men had been travelling to their trawler when their tender had broken down. The three RNLI crew volunteers discovered the fishermen safe and well on Dawlish Warren after crew volunteer James Searle spotted a flashing light.

The charity’s lifeboat crew then towed the casualties to their fishing boat to prepare for work early the following morning. The George Bearman returned to the lifeboat station at 11.35pm.