LIFEBOAT volunteers found a missing man after a search operation was launched following the discovery of an abandoned car.

Clacton RNLI joined the UK Coastguard and Essex Police to search for the man in Frinton at 4am on Sunday.

As the lifeboat station’s Atlantic Class and D Class lifeboats were returning along the coast from Walton Pier, it was directed to a man by the mobile coastguard unit.

He added: “We often search in this manner as the Atlantic lifeboat can focus on the bigger picture while the D Class does the detailed search.

“The view we get from the sea is often much less obscured than that from the land.”

Once both lifeboats had reached Walton Pier and were making their return search, they were directed to a position by one of the coastguard mobile units.

A spokesman said: “The crew of the D Class could just make out the silhouette of someone walking along the sea wall footpath just ahead of this position.

“Two members of the crew went ashore to have a chat with the person.

“The crew members walked and chatted with the gentleman to establish if he was the missing person, as he matched the description given.

“They were met by two Essex Police officers who also spent time speaking with the man.”

The man was left in the care of the officers. and the lifeboats returned to the station in Hastings Avenue.