PENARTH'S RNLI lifeboat was called out to go to the rescue of a yacht whose mast had fallen from the boat near Cardiff Docks on Sunday, June 8.

The call came at 3pm and the largest of Penarth’s lifeboats - the Atlantic 85 - took just under 10 minutes to launch and get to the stricken yacht.

As the volunteer crew arrived, they found that a nearby leisure rib, the Celtic Explorer, with 12 passengers on board, had already reached the yacht and had taken a 10-year-old girl from the yacht and on to the rib, whilst waiting for the lifeboat to arrive.

Her father remained on the yacht, whilst the lifeboat crew towed it to the safety of Cardiff barrage.

“We are grateful for the assistance of the Celtic Explorer – I’m sure its passengers were not expecting a rescue at sea when signed up for their ride," said Mike Kingston, Penarth Lifeboat Deputy Launching Authority.

“The demasting of a yacht is quite an unusual situation, but luckily the little girl and her father were unharmed," he added.