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Flare rescue call-out 'likely a meteor shower'

News imageMillom Coastguard Rescue Team A dark stretch of sky with various bright white dots scattered across it. There is a light on the horizon.Millom Coastguard Rescue Team
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.

News imageMillom Coastguard Rescue Team Search lights on the beach at night with two of the rescue team scouring the areaMillom Coastguard Rescue Team
The coastguard said the person who raised the alarm did the right thing
News imageMillom Coastguard Rescue Team A slightly blurry picture of the search and rescue team which is made up of around seven people and they are all dressed in yellow jackets and blue trousers. There are two vehicles parked on some gravel behind them and it is dark.Millom Coastguard Rescue Team
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.

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