The RNLI were called to assist a person in difficulty, only to discover it was in fact a buoy.

It was a case of mistaken identity when the Weymouth RNLI inshore lifeboat responded to a report of someone in difficulties in the Fleet Lagoon.

The boat received a call from Solent Coastguard just after 4pm on Friday, August 18 to say a 999 call had come in of a person in the water in trouble.

When the call came in, the lifeboat was on its way back to the station after attending a windsurfer in difficulties in Portland Harbour.

The inshore lifeboat immediately turned around and headed towards the Fleet arriving on scene at 4.22pm.

However, by this time, the diligent onlooker had realised the error of their ways and called the Coastguard to report that it was a mistake and what they thought was someone in trouble was in fact a buoy.

The lifeboat was then released and returned to station at 5.35pm.