FADING light was the challenge when the Coastguard in Burnham was called out to reports of someone in the water at Brean Down.

The call came at just after 4pm on Monday (October 26) from a member of the public concerned after hearing of a woman entering the water with her shoes above her head.

"We arrived on scene and quickly set about getting a visual sweep of the Down and the water with some binoculars, we also liaised with the Brean Beach Warden who had been doing the same thing from his vantage point with his own binoculars," said a spokesperson for the Burnham Coastguard Rescue Team.

"There was a person spotted along the base of the Down in the alcove which is popular with climbers."

The team kitted up to follow the water out and investigate further along in the direction she was thought to have gone in, while stopping off to talk to the climbers along the way.

"After a brief chat with the climbers it was established that they had been ferrying their equipment to their climbing spot through the shallow water carrying it above their heads around the same time as the reports came in," the spokesperson said.

"We had a brief chat with the team in the ops room who were happy that there was no one in the water and we could return to station."

Members of the public are urged to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if they see anyone they believe is in difficulty.