Police were called over concerns a political party were due to hand a petition to the RNLI in Poole this week.

Dorset Police received a report from the RNLI, whose headquarters are at Poole, over the possibility of a petition being handed to them by a political party, understood by the Daily Echo to be Britain First.

In December, the far-right organisation had encouraged its members to complain to the RNLI over its rescues of people crossing the English Channel.

Read more: RNLI takes down its website after reporting ‘suspicious activity’

The group said they had "launched a complaints drive aimed at the RNLI to pressure them to abandon their support for illegal immigration and people trafficking and focus instead on saving British lives along our coastal areas.”

Police were seen on different occasions at the headquarters this week.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Dorset Police received a report from the RNLI about the possibility of a petition being handed to them by a political party.

"Officers have been liaising with the RNLI as part of their normal engagement and will continue this liaison with them to provide an appropriate response as required."

A spokesperson for the RNLI said: "While we are aware our lifesaving work in the Channel is a polarising subject, our focus remains on our core purpose which is saving lives at sea.

"Our volunteer lifeboat crews will continue to launch 24/7 to those in distress around the UK and Ireland, when tasked by HM Coastguard or the Irish Coast Guard.

"We are a voluntary lifesaving charity and we will rescue anyone in trouble at sea without judgement or preference, as the RNLI has been doing for nearly 200 years."