Newquay RNLI has experienced its busiest week of the year.

Lifeboat volunteers were paged to reports of multiple people in trouble in the water at Watergate Bay on Thursday, August 8 at 6.55pm.

The charity's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was launched and arriving on scene it was confirmed by a private lifeguard service employed by Boardmasters, that all casualties were now safely ashore.

The volunteers were stood down and began to make their way back to Newquay Lifeboat Station, however, on route they were tasked to attend a separate incident of two people thought to be in difficulty in the water at Mawgan Porth.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew spoke to the people in the water and were happy that all was well and that no assistance needed.

Another alert from Falmouth Coastguard was received on Friday, August 9. A red board was thought to have been seen floating in the sea off Watergate Beach at around 2.37pm. Both of the charity's lifeboats were requested at 2.42pm by the launch authority as due to reduced phone signal the details of the tasking were unclear.

Newquay's D class inshore lifeboat was the first to be launched at 2.55pm, with the Atlantic 85 and her crew reaching the water’s edge just as a stand down alert was received. The object seen turned out to be seaweed.

Newquay Lifeboat volunteers were kept busy throughout the day with several shouts on Sunday, August 11, beginning while out on their weekly training.

Before returning to the harbour, a report from a local fishing vessel was received of a Paddleboarder looking to be in difficulty in a strong offshore wind close to Dane Rock. The crew from the D class lifeboat located the paddleboarder at 12.30pm and dropped the casualty on to Towan Beach. They then returned to the scene to locate a kayaker who was also in need of assistance, the kayaker was dropped off on Towan Beach as well at 12.42pm.

The crew returned to Newquay Lifeboat station at 12.54pm and rehoused the D class lifeboat ready for service.

Once again Newquay’s RNLI volunteers pagers sounded at 4.26pm. A young person had suffered a Weaver Fish sting whilst paddling at Whipsiderry Beach.

Unable to walk up the steps or clamber to safety, the casualty and her two friends were joined by a Boardmasters Security Guard who took care of them until the volunteer crew of the D class lifeboat was able to extract them from the beach.

The four casualties were then transferred into the charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat which has a larger capacity and taken to Newquay Lifeboat Station. They were given hot drinks and snacks whilst the Weaver Fish sting was treated and then collected by Boardmasters Security team and taken back to the music festival.

Crew of the Atlantic were re-tasked and asked to do a further search of the area, a further five people were located and at risk of tidal cut off, the lifeboat crew stood by until all five people were confirmed as safe.

The final shout came at 7.20pm when reports were received from Falmouth Coastguard of two children cut off between Towan and Great Western Beaches. The D class inshore lifeboat was launched just seven minutes later, and the two casualties were located shortly after, fortunately they had made their own way to safety and volunteer crew and lifeboat returned to the station at 7.35pm.

Wayne ‘Aggy’ Martin, Launch Authority said: “It has been an extremely busy week for the stations volunteers, Sunday was almost non-stop and with the town and beaches being at it’s busiest, our dedicated boat crew and shore crew showed amazing teamwork and enthusiasm.

“We weren’t alone though; RNLI Newquay Lifeguards and Newquay Coastguard Search and Rescue Team had their work cut out with the good weather bringing many people onto the beaches and into the water.

“However, with such professionalism from all agencies involved all casualties were kept safe and out of danger.”