Walker helps sailors in seaside rescue drama (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Walker helps sailors in seaside rescue drama

Main picture, the rescue takes place after Penny Prosser, right, raised the alarmA QUIET camping weekend turned into a dramatic rescue mission when a woman spotted a boat in trouble off the coast of Dorset.

Penny Prosser, 52, of Lower Road, Bratton, was on holiday at Durdle Door with seven friends at the weekend when she got involved in the rescue of Bob Whitbread, from Swindon.

He was stranded in his sinking speedboat with his son and some friends after it was engulfed by a wave.

Ms Prosser and her companions were walking over the cliff top to the west of Durdle Door on Saturday when they heard shouts coming from a boat in the sea.

She said: "We assumed the boat had just lost power, we didn't realise it was sinking. It was later we found out it was so serious. They were just wallowing and trying to get the water out of the boat.

"We had heard people shouting and realised they were in trouble. We called the coast guard and because we had an Ordnance Survey map we were able to give a grid reference so they could find out exactly where the boat was.

"We tried to let the people in the boat know help was on its way and even used my friend's red coat to try and attract their attention."

The air ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and before long one of the boat members was being winched up to safety.

Then three lifeboats arrived to rescue the other people in the speedboat.

The owner, Mr Whitbread, had gone out in his speedboat with his son and three friends.

They were on their way back to Weymouth after having a barbecue further down the coast when they got caught up in a sudden storm.

A wave caught the boat and turned it on its side, swamping it with water.

It also forced open a waterproof locker which had a mobile phone and radio which meant the men had no way of getting help.

The coastguard told Ms Prosser they were grateful she had been able to give the exact grid reference from the map.

She said: "It was very exciting but we were just glad the rescue went well. I was amazed when Mr Whitbread said afterwards that a wave had swept up his boat because it looked so calm."

The camping trip is an annual event for the eight friends but nothing like this has happened before.

"It was just a get-together of friends. We do something every year on that weekend. Luckily we were able to help out in a serious situation," Mrs prosser said.

The only reason we heard them was because the wind was blowing in our direction," she added.