Margate’s lifeboat volunteers had their busiest day of the year so far when they responded to four call outs.

In the morning they were called after an abandoned inflatable dinghy was spotted adrift seven miles from the shore by windfarm workers. The crew carried out a search along with a coastguard helicopter.

The search was stood down after it was established the occupant had been picked up by a jetski earlier.

Later in the afternoon they responded to a report where they feared a child had been dragged out to sea on an inflatable toy blown from the beach. But it was unattended.

Then shortly after teams onshore helped the search for a missing child in Minnis Bay, who was later found safe and well.

Finally the volunteers were called to help deal with a serious medical situation at the busy beach as a man was reportedly taken ill.

Margate lifeboat spokesman Nick Smith said: “Providing lifeboat back-up for the RNLI lifeguards meant safety cover could be maintained on what was probably one of the busiest beaches in the South East.

“It was an example of lifeboats and lifeguards offering a joined-up safety and rescue service."