RNLI crew go to the aid of a five-metre boat after its engine fails in heavy surf off West Bexington

Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched on Friday after a fishing boat suffered engine trouble and a man was thrown overboard in heavy surf.

The five-metre vessel, Kelvin, got into difficulties off West Bexington and the lifeboat was launched at 3pm.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene the man was out of the water and being assisted by coastguards. An ambulance crew treated the victim, who was suffering from the cold.

A lifeboat crew member swam ashore to assess the situation, and it was decided to use the coastguard vehicle to winch the fishing boat ashore.

The lifeboat could not get closer to the shore because of the surf, and the beach was a steep shingle bank.

The lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis after an operation lasting two and a half hours.