Early start for lifeboat crew after fishing boat breaks down

The Anstruther lifeboat crew was scrambled for the second time in 12 hours early yesterday morning.

The alarm was raised just after 3.30am after reports that a fishing boat with two crew members on board had broken down near Ruddons Point, at Shell Bay.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene and towed the vessel back to Pittenweem. It was the second rescue mission within 12 hours for the volunteer crew, having been scrambled to assist people trapped on the Elie chain walk on Tuesday afternoon.

Coxswain Michael Bruce said: “We arrived on scene to find the vessel skipper was safely at anchor and happy to see the lifeboat arrive.”