Stern warnings about beach safety in Norfolk were ignored amid an early-season heatwave, which sparked three lifeboat call-outs in two hours to rescue stranded day-trippers at Wells.

Stern warnings about beach safety in Norfolk were ignored amid an early-season heatwave, which sparked three lifeboat call-outs in two hours to rescue stranded day-trippers at Wells.

The hottest weather of the year brought sun-seekers in their thousands from across the country to the wide, sandy beaches of North Norfolk this weekend.

But six people needed to be brought to safety on Sunday after becoming cut off by a powerful incoming tide - despite a plea made by the RNLI last month for people to check tide times before venturing across exposed sands and marshland.

Wells lifeboat coxswain Allen Frary said the call-outs were all preventable and implored visitors to heed the warnings, check tide times and ensure they were back across the channel at least four hours before high water.