POOLE Lifeboat volunteers were called out eight times and spent a total of 10 hours at sea on Saturday after hundreds of vessels took to the water to watch Bournemouth Air Festival.

The first call involved a 17ft speed boat with two people onboard that had broken down. The occupants were transferred across onto the Atlantic lifeboat while one crewman from the inshore lifeboat stemmed the ingress of water before it was towed back to the beach.

The Poole lifeboat was then tasked to two young people suffering with sea sickness who were landed safely ashore at Bournemouth Pier.

Meanwhile, the inshore lifeboat had been tasked by Solent Coastguard to a broken-down speedboat with five people on-board, off Hook sands.

On arrival, the crew checked everyone onboard was OK before attaching a tow and bringing them safely to their mooring off Brownsea Roads, inside the harbour.

The Atlantic was then asked to assist a 40ft motor cruiser which had got its chain wrapped around itself. The vessel, which had four people onboard, was just outside the exclusion zone between the piers.

A 25ft vessel with four people broke down just outside the entrance of Poole Harbour. When the lifeboat arrived on scene they found that the stricken vessel was undertow by a passing vessel so the lifeboat was stood down.

Later, a 27ft yacht had encountered engine failure in Poole Bay two miles south of Boscombe Pier. Volunteers attached a tow line and brought the broken down vessel back to Parkstone Yacht Club.

At the same time, the D Class was assisting a 22ft vessel that had broken down off Shore Road. The vessel, which had four people onboard was, towed safely back to North Haven.

A ‘Mayday’ call then came through for a 10metre motor cruiser which had lost all its oil into the bilges. A safety boat from the Air Festival was on scene but they were unable to tow the vessel due to its size and they needed to remain at the show until 11pm.

Volunteer helmsman Gavin McGuinness said: “There were hundreds of vessels out there enjoying the show and for us it was a long day with a variety of problems to help with, we also did some training whilst afloat.

“We are always happy to help someone, situations out on the water can develop and get worse very quickly”.