A WOMAN'S attempt to walk all the way around the coast of Britain came to a halt - after just three miles.

The 28-year-old from Coventry set out from Minehead this morning (Tuesday) but was soon in trouble.

Instead of sticking to the official South West Coast Path route, she wandered off towards Porlock along a boulder beach at the base of 800-feet cliffs.

Just under a mile from Hurlestone Point, she found the tide cutting off her advance and her retreat.

She dialled 999 and Minehead’s volunteer RNLI crew launched the station’s D class and located her within 10 minutes.

But with a moderate swell running extricating her was far from simple.

The crew dropped the anchor and veered down the line to as close to the beach as possible and crew member Karla Thresher swam ashore to help the woman back aboard.

She was landed at Porlock Weir, shaken but unhurt.

D class helm Phil Sanderson said: “She was carrying an enormous backpack and how she managed to get so far I have no idea.

“That stretch of shoreline is best avoided unless you know it well.

"The tide comes right up to the cliffs in places and there are only two locations where it’s possible to climb up – and then only if you’re pretty fit.”