ROUGH seas and a heavy swell meant that Falmouth's inshore lifeboat was unable to retrieve an angling boat which had run aground on Pendennis Point, Falmouth.

The lifeboat with helmsman Dave Nicoll and crew Mark Pollard and Marc Thomas had been tasked to assist the 17 foot Cornish Maid by Falmouth Coastguards after she broke down and drifted onto rocks on April 23.

The four occupants of the boat had managed to get ashore and due to the falling tide and the heavy swell it was impossible for the lifeboat to tow Cornish Maid off the rocks at Middle Point.

Prior to the arrival of the coastguard mobile, an RNLI crewman was put ashore to check the condition of the casualties and to ensure they did not take any further risks.

When the coastguard mobile arrived it was agreed that recovery of the boat on the next tide would be too risky in the prevailing conditions. So the units were released to return to station.