Flare rescue call-out 'likely a meteor shower'

The RNLI was called to reports of flares off the coast of Cumbria

An emergency call-out prompted by reports of flares off a coastline was likely to be a meteor shower, the RNLI said.

St Bees RNLI was requested to launch by HM Coastguard Belfast on Wednesday after an angler reported seeing multiple flares off Drigg beach in Cumbria.

The lifeboat reached the area at 20:50 GMT and the crew searched using lights, radar and illumination flares to try to locate the vessel or person in distress.

During the three-hour search, the team spotted several "extremely bright meteors" and said it was most likely in relation to the Leonid meteor shower.

The coastguard said the person who raised the alarm did the right thing

The crew searched for about three hours before it was called off

The RNLI said it was believed the "flares" were a previous wave of the same meteor shower.

Ian Davies, senior coastal operations officer for the coastguard, said the person who reported the incident did the right thing.

"It's always right to report them, even if it turns out that no-one is in danger," he said.