LIFEBOAT volunteers from Sunderland RNLI lifeboat station recovered two large remote-controlled aeroplanes during a sea search off Seaham yesterday.

The rescue mission was launched when coastguard officers based at Humber Coastguard Marine Rescue Coordination Centre received an emergency call from a member of the public reporting the sighting of an orange flashing object in the sea about half a mile offshore near Seaham Hall, at about 2.45pm yesterday.

Initially Coastguard Officers from Seaham Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked to meet the first caller and confirm the location and description of the potential object.

Coastguards also contacted Sunderland RNLI to request the launch of their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.

The lifeboat launched 10 minutes later crewed by Luke McGill along with another three volunteer crew.

With help from coastguard officers the RNLI volunteers quickly located two objects which both turned out to be large-remote controlled aeroplanes.

Luke McGill, helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: "Thankfully the coastguard officers from Seaham were able to get some really good information from the first informant which allowed us to quickly locate the two aeroplanes.

"Once satisfied that the reporting sighting was one of the aeroplanes the coastguard released the lifeboat from the search allowing the volunteers to return to Sunderland."

He added: "We are extremely grateful to the member of the public who reported the initial sighting as the information they provided allowed us to quickly locate the two aeroplanes.

"Although on this occasions the sighting turned out to be a remote controlled plane; it could have very easily been a person in difficulty’.

The two aeroplanes have been returned to the lifeboat station at Sunderland and if anyone wishes to collect them should contact the station on sunderland@rnli.org.uk or 0191 567 3536.