A major search was launched after fears a fishing boat hit trouble at sea. 

Lifeboats and a helicopter scoured the coastline after a member of the public raised the alarm when large amounts of fishing equipment washed up on Chesil Beach. 

A person fishing from the shore called the UK Coastguard at 11.40am to report fishing storage boxes and storage bags were washing up on shore.

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said: "An urgency broadcast was issued to all vessels in the area and a number of assets were sent to the search the location including Wyke Coastguard Rescue Team, the UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Lee on Solent and the Weymouth and Lyme Regis all-weather lifeboats."

They added an extensive and thorough search of the area was carried out but, with the exception of two further fishing boxes, nothing was found.

The MCA spokesperson said: "HM Coastguard has not received any distress alerts or reports of overdue fishing vessels, and no debris or pollution was spotted by the assets on scene to indicate that there was anyone in distress."

The search operation was suspended just after 5pm.

A spokesperson for Wyke Coastguard said they were paged just after 1.30pm to a report from anglers of a large amount of fishing debris washed ashore on Chesil Beach towards the eastern range hut. 

"Three of the team set off to investigate and confirmed a large amount of debris including fish boxes, some pot buoys and sacks. 

"While three coastguard rescue officers were searching the National Maritime Operations Centre escalated the search and paged the remaining team, Rescue 175 from Lee on Solent, Lyme Regis lifeboat and Weymouth all-weather lifeboat.

"A thorough search of an area from Ferrybridge to the range safety hut was searched with many items located - these were all deck objects related to the fishing industry. With no further evidence to suggest a vessel may of come to harm all units were stood down," the spokesperson said. 

A spokesperson for Weymouth lifeboat said the crew was called at 3.20pm and conducted a search from Ferrybridge to Langton Herring while the coastguard walked the beach and the helicopter searched from the air.

After nothing was found, the lifeboat returned at 6.20pm. 

The MCA said there are no plans to resume the search unless further information comes in to the Coastguard.