Margate’s RNLI all-weather lifeboat, along with the Ramsgate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat has assisted police and coastguards in the search for a person in distress off the Thanet coastline.

The alarm was raised in the early hours of this morning when UK Coastguard was contacted by police reporting they had received information about a person in distress in the sea on a wooden pole.

Marine search and rescue assistance was requested.

The person's location could not be determined so the lifeboat searched the coastline from Margate to the east towards Ramsgate while Ramsgate’s inshore lifeboat searched from Ramsgate in the direction of Pegwell Bay.

Margate’s coastguard rescue team was also tasked to carry out a shoreline search.

Following around an hour of searching and after Ramsgate’s inshore lifeboat had illuminated an area with a parachute flare, it was reported that the person had been located ashore near Cliffsend and taken into the care of police.

The rescue units were stood down and returned to station.

Ian Lowe, deputy launching authority, Margate lifeboat said: "The uncertainty as to the person’s location required a complex search arrangement by various RNLI and coastguard assets.

"It was a good example of multi-agency working and a reminder of the importance of having two RNLI lifeboat stations covering the lengthy Thanet coastline."