Yachtsmen call rescue teams nine times in seven months

Fire crews extinguished a "small fire" on the 18-tonne yacht

Two yachtsmen have called rescue teams a ninth time in seven months after their boat "tipped over", causing a fire on board.

Bob Weise and Steve Shapiro, both 71, left Norway in July and hope to sail to North America.

Mr Shapiro said the boat, called Nora, was tied up in Hayle Harbour, in Cornwall, when it tipped over.

Fire crews extinguished a "small fire" on the 18-tonne yacht, which Mr Shapiro said was caused by a candle.

The pair, from North America, previously had to call on rescue teams in Norway, Denmark, Scotland and Ireland.

The duo called rescue teams seven times between July and 20 January, and again on Friday, when one of the crew was attempting to reach the moored yacht by rowing boat and got into difficulty outside St Ives Harbour.

Steve Shapiro is one of two yachtsmen who plan to sail across the Atlantic

After the ninth emergency, Mr Shapiro told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We're re-tying up in Hayle, some things have to be fixed, but the boat is fine.

"There was a candle which burnt some clothes, otherwise there was no real damage.

"Soon as we get northerly winds we'll go out."

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Tolvaddon attended the fire, and water rescue teams from Penzance and Falmouth also assisted.