Southend's lifeboats were the busiest in Essex during the summer months despite one of the wettest August on record.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution crews were launched 55 times during June, July and August and across the county lifeboats were called out a total of 154 times.

Jim Mackie, spokesman for Southend RNLI said: "Last year we were the second busiest so I am not too surprised we were the busiest this summer.

"One of the most memorable rescues was on August 27 during the annual barge race when the inshore lifeboat was called out to assist a young child who was taken ill aboard a Thames sailing barge one mile east of Southend Pier.

"The barge was moored up the night before the race and a couple had their child on board with them.

"He had begun to have convulsions. The D class lifeboat ferried paramedics to the barge, Marjorie, to attend the 14-month-old boy.

"While this was going on the Atlantic 75 lifeboat was launched to carry the sick child, his family and the paramedics ashore to a waiting ambulance."