COASTGUARDS and RNLI Lifeboats were kept busy during the Bournemouth Air Festival yesterday when they were called to the rescue of several boats.

An 18ft RIB with five people on board around 20 metres from Bournemouth pier was taking on water and needed assistance from an RNLI crewman at 1.20pm.

Minutes later a 19ft motor boat had to be towed after breaking down and at 2.45pm a small motor boat with two people on board had to be towed to Swanage after breaking down at Bournemouth.

At 4.15pm a speedboat carrying four adults and two children suffered engine failure off Southbourne and half an hour later a 20ft speedboat broke down after getting a pot line caught round its propeller.

During the day coastguards also dealt with flat batteries, a damaged outboard motor and reports of a fallen boulder on cliffs at Lyme Regis.

Poole lifeboat was particularly busy and spent the weekend on the water and were out until 11.30pm on Saturday and around 7pm on Sunday.

Yesterday Poole RNLI dealt with an engine falling off a motorboat near Sandbanks Ferry, broken down boats, two vessels colliding after their anchors became tangled, electrical failure and various other mechanical issues.