Coastguards were alerted to a green inflatable crocodile drifting east of Peveril Ledge in Swanage yesterday afternoon.

While it did not look like anyone was with the inflatable, the Swanage Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was launched to check the situation and recover the object to prevent further calls.

The ILB was launched and the crew worked together with Swanage National Coastwatch to locate the small object.

The crew managed to recover the inflatable at around 2.55pm and confirmed that no one was with the inflatable.

A spokesman for Swanage Lifeboat said the ILB then returned to the station and was back on the slipway at 3.06pm.

A young visitor then came to the lifeboat station and became the proud owner of the inflatable crocodile.