A LIFEBOAT crew helped rescue ten people - six adults and four children - after two fishing vessels suffered mechanical failure off the North-East coast.

The operation off Seaham Harbour on Sunday was one of several that kept coastguards in the region busy over the weekend.

A Humber Coastguard spokesman said RNLI volunteers at Sunderland were alerted after an emergency radio transmission from the crew of a 25ft fishing vessel at 2pm on Sunday - reporting they were drifting after suffering engine failure, two miles from shore.

As the lifeboat crew of Atlantic 85 were making their way to the scene, the crew of another fishing vessel radioed they were preparing to take the broken down vessel under tow.

Ron Carroll, Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said "We spoke to the crews of the two boats, and they confirmed that they were happy to continue with the tow unaided.

"As a precaution we decided to escort the vessels back to Sunderland Harbour".

As the lifeboat crew were escorting the vessels back to Sunderland they came across another 26ft fishing vessel which had also suffered mechanical failure, because of contaminated fuel.

The lifeboat took the stricken vessel under tow and returned it to its moorings at Sunderland Marina, where they were met by Officers from Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.

Mr Carroll said: "These two incidents highlight the importance of vessels being adequately prepared for any voyage to sea.

"We encourage all boat owners to carry a sufficient number of lifejackets, a correctly dated distress flare pack, and a working marine vhf radio."

On Sunday volunteers with Tynemouth's inshore lifeboat went to the rescue of a drifting boat and its three passengers after its engine failed near St Peters Basin, Newcastle.

After a 20 minute journey at maximum speed - the lifeboat and three volunteer crew members reached the boat and towed it to safety at Royal Quays Marina, North Shields.

The Northern Echo reported today how the Tynemouth crew also had to deal with an apparently intoxicated yacht skipper who nearly sparked a major air-and-sea rescue operation on Saturday.

The yacht was thought to be crewless when it was reported to Humber Coastguard on Saturday afternoon, after it narrowly missed several vessels. When they found the vessel the captain was verbally abusive and did not want to co-operate.

On the same afternoon they were called to help the cabin cruiser Matthew, which had suffered a seized engine two and a half miles off the coast at Tynemouth. And on Sunday helped the fishing boat Danny Boy, which had broken down one and a half miles North-East of the Tyne piers.