LIFEBOAT crews were called into action when a late-night search for a missing person required a multi-agency effort.

On Sunday evening Essex Police received reports of a potential missing person, before coordinating a land and sea search in the Walton area.

The RNLI Walton and Frinton Lifeboat volunteer crew was paged shortly after 10.30pm, and immediately launched the Irene Muriel Rees Tamar class lifeboat. 

Using searchlights, illuminating parachute flares and image intensifying equipment, the team meticulously patrolled the seawaters from the Walton Pier to the Naze, all while being located a short distance from the shore. 

At the same time, the local coastguard teams and RNLI Shore Crew conducted searches of the nearby beaches, while police officers explored the surrounding land areas. 

Eventually the search was called off, after the missing was successfully found ashore and the lifeboat returned to station just after 11.30pm.