A MERCY mission lifeboat callout, following concerns people were trapped at Church Rock, turned out to be flapping birds.

Tenby’s all-weather lifeboat was launched at around 3.05pm on Friday, July 31, after the Coastguard received a report that two people had been seen waving from Church Rock off Broadhaven South, some 11 miles west of Tenby.

The volunteer crew made best speed to the area and after a brief search, discovered that the two people were actually cormorants standing on Church Rock, flapping their wings - an easy mistake to make without binoculars.

However, the first informants did the right thing calling the Coastguard to report it, Tenby lifeboat has said.

As they were leaving Broadhaven, the crew were requested by Milford Haven Coastguard on behalf of Dyfed Powys Police, to check out Freshwater East bay, following a report of jetskis being driven erratically.

After a search of the bay, no jetskis were located so the lifeboat was stood down to return to station, arriving at 4.20pm.