A FOOLHARDY yachtsman who sparked a late-night search operation by three Bristol Channel RNLI lifeboats found himself in trouble again just 24 hours later.

Volunteers crews from Minehead and Barry Dock scoured the Channel until the early hours on Wednesday, July 17 after the man had been reported well off course and in difficulties after leaving Watchet bound for Ilfracombe.

When the crews eventually found him, the man declined assistance and told lifeboatmen he was planning to sail the yacht to Eastbourne.

But by 11pm of Thursday evening the man had run out of fuel and was drifting near Foreland Point in North Devon and radioed for help.

Minehead's Atlantic 85 lifeboat was launched and located the boat as it drifted toward Lynmouth, towing it 15 miles back to safety near Minehead at 2.30am.

Minehead lifeboat spokesman Chris Rundle said: "From what our crew observed the man had very little sailing experience - he didn't even appear to know where his anchor was stowed."

Mr Rundle said that the yacht was not equipped for the passage around Land's End or through the busy shipping lanes off the south coast.

"Goodness only knows how many lifeboats would have been called out to assist him by the time he reached Eastbourne - assuming he survived that far," Mr Rundle added.