THE VOLUNTEER lifeboat crew at North Berwick RNLI launched to rescue stranded kayakers yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.

They were paged by UK Coastguard to reports of a kayaker in difficulty east of The Leithies at about 1.30pm.

A post on the North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team's Facebook page said: "We travelled to the Glen golf course to make contact with the first informant who told us that there was a group of kayakers, some of which had got into difficulty.

"The three kayakers who were in difficulty were pulled out of the water by the Scottish Seabird Centre RIB who was first on scene as they were on a boat trip.

"North Berwick RNLI Lifeboat arrived on scene around the same time."

Five other kayakers had made it to shore and did not require any assistance.

The post added: "The Scottish Seabird Centre RIB took the casualties back to North Berwick Harbour where a member of our team checked them over and took their details.

"North Berwick RNLI Lifeboat retrieved the three drifting kayaks.

"Four of the five kayakers who made it ashore paddled back to Milsey Bay where they had launched.

"We took the last kayaker back in our vehicle as they were not confident in going back out in the choppy sea."

They were also called out twice last Wednesday.

Their first call was received at about 1.20pm to a report of four or five people cut off by the tide at The Leithies.

The three-person crew headed straight to the area and were informed by North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team that the casualties had waded to shore.

The lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.

As the afternoon progresses the weather deteriorated and the Evelyn M lifeboat was again called into action shortly after 6.30pm.

Again a three-person crew attended, this time to Gullane Bay where a man had been seen walk into the water.

They arrived on scene and carried out a shoreline search but the coastguard team had been able to ascertain that the male seen had been wearing a wetsuit and had later made it back to shore.

If you see something that causes you concern call 999 and ask for the coastguard.