LIFEBOAT crews were deployed to a distress call... before an emergency beacon was found at a recycling centre.

Clacton RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 B-Class Lifeboat into the sea on May 22 at about 12.55pm. 

Despite only having minimal details, they headed and eventually reached Harwich in response to a distress call. 

They had been called into action after the coastguard picked up on a signal from an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).

Once the beacons are activated they alert a worldwide search and rescue network, designed to send rescuers to its exact location. 

Starting the search from the Hamford Water entrances to Harwich, the crew continued into the River Stour until they reached Ramsey bouy.

After failing to find anything, the team then searched near Hamford Water, using a reciprocal search pattern, but this also led to no results. 

Following a couple of hours of searching, Clacton’s crew then stood down and returned to the lifeboat station.

It was later reported the EPIRB device had been successfully located at the Manningtree Recycling Centre, where it had most likely been disposed of.