Happisburgh's Friendly Forester II returns to shore after a call-out on Sunday.

A lifeboat search turned into a frustrating wait when the boat’s recovery tractor had mechanical problems.

Happisburgh’s two lifeboats were called out at 6.49pm on Sunday to search for a missing man from Eccles at the request of the police.

Spirit of Berkhamsted searched from Happisburgh to Eccles and Friendly Forester II searched from Walcott to Happisburgh. Shortly after they began, the police reported that the man had been found safe and well, and the boats were stood down.

Spirit of Berkhamsted was recovered quickly, but Friendly Forester II had to wait offshore as the recovery tractor had problems with its four-wheel drive; the beach was very soft and the tractor became stuck in the sand.

It was able to get out onto harder sand, but the shore crew decided it was unsafe to put the tractor back into the water and the crew drove the boat up the beach for it to be recovered onto the trailer.