PORT Talbot's lifeboat crew were called out on an unusual mission as thick fog descended over the Bristol channel on Friday evening.

They received a call at 5.27pm from a small fishing boat lost at sea.

With hazardous conditions providing just 50 metres of visibility the three man crew of the 16 foot vessel could not find their way back home up the Afan River.

After a 15 minute search using whistles, flashing torches and radio contact, the lifeboat crew found the drifting boat and guided it to the mouth of the river.

Mel Cooper from the Port Talbot lifeboat team said: "It was quite eerie out there, you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face.

"That made it a tricky operation but everything turned out fine in the end."