A lifeboat that washed off a cargo ship has come ashore on a Devon beach.

HM Coastguard said teams were first alerted to the container ship lifeboat at Sidmouth Beach at about 07:30 GMT on Sunday.

It said the lifeboat had previously been reported as missing from a known cargo ship on Wednesday and teams had been tracking it since but were unaware of where it was going to wash up.

Beer Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to help secure the lifeboat and safely dispose of its flares until it was recovered.

A team from the Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat, which was also called out, said with the evening tide posing “real risk” of the vessel being broken up over night, a decision was made to recover it and secure it above the tide line.

It said the crew used its winch tractor to move the vessel to a safe and accessible location at the Clifton slipway.

“A big thank you to everyone involved for the swift cooperation and teamwork,” added Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat.

Devon and Cornwall Police, the Receiver of Wreck and the Environment Agency have also been made aware, HM Coastguard said.