A lifeboat launched this evening after a member of the public reported seeing what looked like a body in the sea near the mouth of the River Tees.

Redcar RNLI lifeboat was scrambled at 4.30pm but arrived at the scene to find it was instead a bale of hay.

"The only object that matched the colour described by the first informant was a large round bale of hay.," said Dave Cocks of Redcar RNLI.

The person who raised the alarm had been looking out to sea from the north side of the River Tees entrance and spotted the 'object' close to one of the channel marker buoys.

Once the lifeboat crew had completed an area search for other possible objects, the lifeboat was stood down.

"'This was an entirely well-meant false alarm. We'd much rather send the lifeboat and discover that there's no one in difficulties than hear later on that someone has actually drowned," he added.

'We've been called out to a few unusual things in the past, but never a lump of hay before. Dare I say that we're glad we didn't have to bale anybody out?'