CONCERNED office workers near Woodbridge sparked a major rescue mission for a man who was looking for an old mooring in a small dinghy.A rescue operation was launched at 11.49am yesterday.

CONCERNED office workers near Woodbridge sparked a major rescue mission for a man who was looking for an old mooring in a small dinghy.

A rescue operation was launched at 11.49am yesterday after the man appeared to be in difficulty in the mud on the River Deben.

A police helicopter joined officers, Felixstowe and Shingle Street Coastguard and the Harwich lifeboat to bring the man to safety.

A spokesman for the Thames Coastguard said: “Nearby office workers called police after they thought the man was in trouble.

“The man was in a dinghy in the mud and appeared to need help.

“However once the coastguards arrived on the scene it was discovered he wasn't actually in any difficulty. He was just looking for an old mooring.”

Meanwhile Harwich RNLI Lifeboats were called within minutes of each other to help vessels in distress.

People walking on the prom at Felixstowe watched as the all-weather lifeboat was sent to help a yacht which had a broken mast.

The crew reached the 25ft vessel Vraic at around 3.25pm on Sunday off Cobbolds Point. It had three people on board and was towed by the lifeboat to Shotley Marina.

The lifeboat was called out again to the 10 metre yacht Kingfisher suffering engine problems in the River Stour.

Meanwhile, the inshore lifeboat was called to a 17ft yacht called Busy Bee aground on Stone Pier at Harwich with three people in the water - two from the vessel and a member of the public who swam out to advise them the lifeboat maroons had been fired and to climb onboard. The lifeboat crew towed the yacht to the lifeboat pontoon, where medical assistance was given.