A COASTGUARD helicopter was sent to Poole following a distress beacon activation only to discover it had accidentally set off in a garden.
The alert triggered a response from the emergency service in the early afternoon on Monday.
Residents reported seeing the coastguard aircraft land on Upton Recreation Ground before searches of the area were carried out.
A HM Coastguard spokeswoman said: "The coastguard responded to a beacon activation just after 1.30pm on Monday, June 7 in the area of Poole.
"The Lee-on-Solent search and rescue helicopter was launched to search for the source of the beacon and to identify if anyone was in need of help.
"The beacon was traced by the crew to a garden close to Upton playing field.
"The beacon had been accidentally activated and it was confirmed that no one was in need of assistance."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here