Thousands of sunseekers flocked to Clacton to soak up the rays - but fun in the sea led to a busy weekend for lifeboat crews.

The resort enjoyed 15.6 hours of sunshine yesterday - the most in Britain.

Temperatures on the beaches hit 24 degrees C (75F), still four degrees lower than sweltering Bournemouth.

Roads to the coast were packed throughout the weekend and leisure bosses celebrated the busiest weekend of the season so far.

However, the thousands of visitors brought other problems and Thames coastguards at Walton were kept busy co-ordinating rescues as 200 emergency calls came in.

Lifeboats were launched 23 times to 25 incidents, including six drifting inflatables and four boardsailors in trouble.

Horrified sunbathers at Frinton watched as two children and two adults were tossed from their speedboat into the sea as it overturned.

The accident happened after the boat's propeller tangled with the rope of an inflatable banana it was pulling and the vessel was hit side-on by waves.

A beach patrol dinghy and the coastguard patrol were quickly on the scene.

An eight-year-old youngster on a inflatable airbed was rescued after he drifted out to sea off Jaywick - followed by his father in a rowing boat.

Clacton lifeboatmen said dad had caught up with the boy but was unable to get him aboard. The pair, from London, were landed safely.

Three people were rescued from their inflatable dinghy off Jaywick, and Clacton lifeboat was later launched to two people who got into difficulties on an inflatable off Holland Haven. They managed to scramble ashore unaided.

Terry McKean, chairman of the area's hotel and guesthouse association, said of the busy weekend: "The town was packed and let's hope it is just the start of things to come.."

Forgetful swimmers causes panic

A forgetful swimmer sparked a major air-sea rescue search off Dovercourt.

The 60-year-old Harwich woman left her clothes while she went for a late afternoon dip. Two hours later, however, they were still there and a search began.

It involved two helicopters, two lifeboats and Walton coastguard. A beach-hut owner was able to provide a name for the woman and just after 8pm on Friday police found her at home - unaware of the drama.

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