TROON RNLI lifeboat volunteers raced to search for a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) that was activated off the coast at Prestwick.

Once activated, the beacons use search and rescue satellites to notify the Coastguard that someone is in difficulty.

At 4.37pm on Sunday, September 22, pagers were activated for Troon RNLI all-weather and inshore lifeboats to launch.

With the volunteer crew assembling, relief D class inshore lifeboat 'The Gentle JEKM' was launched followed by the station's Trent class all-weather lifeboat 'RNLB Jim Moffat' to carry out a search alongside coastguard teams.

With further enquiries being carried out by Belfast Coastguard, it was established that this had been an accidental activation of the PLB onboard a vessel, with the crew on-board unaware of the activation.

With all persons accounted for and no-one in difficulty, the lifeboats were stood down by Belfast Coastguard and returned to station where they were made 'ready for service'.