PENARTH Coastguard helped catch a man that had attempted to run away from the police last week.

Penarth Coastguards were called out to a water rescue incident on the River Taff at around 5pm on Friday, August 5.

They arrived on scene at Wood Street Bridge after a man had fled from police at Cardiff Central Station and jumped over the fence onto the River Taff Embankment.

The South Wales Fire Service and the Police’s rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) were on the river in case he jumped, while Penarth Coastguard provided safety cover and a communications link for the waterborne assets back to Swansea MRCC.

The incident was resolved and the male was placed in police custody. All units were stood down and returned to their respective stations.

At around 11pm last Wednesday, July 30, Penarth Coastguard were also tasked to set up, man and secure a helicopter landing site at Blackweir for the RAF Rescue Helicopter 169.

The helicopter was carrying a 41-year-old man that was catapulted over his mountain bike handlebars while cycling in the Brecon Beacons mountains. He was suffering from head, neck, back and leg injuries and was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital of Wales Cardiff. Penarth Coastguards returned to the station at 12.25am the following morning.

On Thursday afternoon Penarth’s RNLI D Class Lifeboat was also called out to help tow a yacht that was suffering from a fouled propeller from Penarth Pier to Cardiff Bay Barrage.