THE all-weather lifeboat belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew at Llandudno was launched on Friday (August 12) following reports of an inflatable object being blown out to sea from Colwyn Bay.

“William F Yates” was launched at 1.40 pm after HM Coastguard tasked the crew to investigate the reports.

In conjunction with the Coastguard team on the scene, the lifeboat soon located an unoccupied partially deflated lilo.

A search was made in the immediate vicinity, but no trace was found of a potential occupant.

While dealing with this initial task, a further notification occurred reporting two people in a nine-foot dinghy, possibly in distress, somewhere close to Raynes Jetty near Llanddulas.

The Coastguards were again able to guide the lifeboat to their location.

The occupants believed they did not require assistance and intended to continue making their way to Pensarn.

After a conversation with the Lifeboat coxswain, they were persuaded to be towed back to the shore at Old Colwyn, where serious safety advice was offered.

On the return journey to Llandudno, the lifeboat was diverted to the Rhosneigr Buoy at Rhos Point following a further report of an unidentified object in the water

But this turned out to be an orange marker buoy, and no action was required.

At the same time, the crew found a large piece of flotsam which they recovered to remove the risk to other vessels.

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Graham Heritage, Lifeboat coxswain, said: “We had a busy afternoon around Colwyn Bay.

“Working closely with the Coastguard team, we retrieved the lilo and a large piece of wood to reduce the risk of future call-outs.

“We also towed the occupants of the rescued dinghy back to Old Colwyn for their own safety, it was necessary to give them advice about the importance of wearing a lifejacket when taking to the water.”

The RNLI report that, every year, about 200 people drown in the coastal waters around the UK and Ireland.

These tragedies happen to people taking part in a wide range of water-based and waterside activities.

For more information, go to: rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/llandudno-lifeboat-station.