RNLI volunteers were called out to concerns for a party of kayakers on Saturday - but still made it back to dry land in time for a crewmate's wedding.

The team from Poole were taking part in a training exercise off Old Harry when they received a digital selective calling alert.

The alert can indicate a 'mayday' call.

Coastguard officials tasked the team to search Durlston Bay for a vessel which may have made the call. Volunteers spoke with sailors on vessels in the area before launching a shoreline search along Durlston to Anvil Point, and then to Ballard Down and around Studland.

Nothing was found during the search.

However, coastguards then contacted the owner of the radio which had made the alert. They discovered there were fears over a group of four kayakers who had set out during the morning in Purbeck.

The RNLI crew then found a group of kayakers and drew up alongside them.

Anne-Marie Clark of the RNLI said: "It turned out that the person had set the alarm off by accident as they were switching the radio off.

"Everyone in the party was safe and well."

The crew returned to the station in time to attend the wedding of colleague Chris Speers at Scaplen's Court in Poole.

Mr Speers, a creative designer for agency Bright Blue Day, married Becky Meyrick, who works as a science teacher at Queen Elizabeth's School in Wimborne.

Following the ceremony, crew members carried out the tradition of 'raising the oars' for the newly-weds.

Volunteer helm James Kilburn said: "All’s well that ends well and it was actually a good training session for the crew as it demonstrated how modern technology is making search and rescue much more efficient, as long as the equipment is working correctly and registered.

"Plus we got to the wedding on time."