The 'irresponsible' firing of a number of distress flares in Burnham-on-Sea caused two lifeboats, a team of coastguards and police to be called. 

Burnham-on-Sea RNLI received a call from Burnham Coastguard at 1.07am on Sunday, July 1 after they saw a number of distress flares in the sky near Burnham Sailing Club. 

Both of Burnham RNLI's lifeboats were launched to investigate. 

A spokesman for Burnham RNLI, said: "We were made aware that several boats at the yacht club had been broken into earlier and as well as other items marine flares had been stolen.

"The local Coastguard team were already on scene and began a shoreline search alongside our lifeboats and with them lining the shore and banks of the River Brue our crew launched an illumination parachute flare to allow all present to gain a good view of the area.

"The police who had been searching Apex Park informed us that the distance of the flare we had just used compared to that of the earlier sightings was very different and it was apparent that they had been fired from inland."

Burnham Coastguard searched further inland and found a spent flare shell on the ground and all teams stood down.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: "It was a case of whoever broke into the boats and stole the flares acted even more irresponsibly by then firing them.

"Not only had they broken into people's boats causing damage, they have then stolen their property, and on top of that caused a call out that has resulted in the tasking of two police cars, six coastguards, two Lifeboats and associated shore crew members.

"SOLAS Regulation V/35 prohibits misuse of any distress signals. These are critical to safety at sea and by misusing them you could put your or someone else’s life at risk."