Portland rescue helicopter had its busiest day ever yesterday as soaring temperatures brought thousands of visitors to south Dorset's coastline.

The helicopter, which faced the axe until reprieved by the government following an outcry by Echo readers, flew dozens of missions over the weekend.

At Newtons Cove in Weymouth two young girls had to be rescued after getting into difficulty while swimming.

And two children blown offshore in their inflatable were rescued by Lyme Regis inshore lifeboat.

A jet skier had to be taken to Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, by helicopter after seriously injuring his back off Ballard Down, Swanage.

Lyme Regis inshore lifeboat had to help three elderly people in a dinghy off Charmouth back to shore.

Four people on a dinghy off West Bexington had to be taken ashore by Lyme Regis inshore lifeboat after getting into difficulties.

Motor cruiser Smokey had to be taken into tow by passing Sea Cadets and was brought safely into Weymouth.

The diveboat Why Not reported two missing divers from its position two miles south of Lulworth Cove. But both divers were found safe and were picked up by a passing vessel.

A diver had to be flown from Portland to Poole by helicopter for a check-up and was then taken to Poole hospital for treatment.

Racing yacht GBR-1R, which was thought to be in difficulties in the Portland race, was checked by Weymouth lifeboat and found to be fine.

On Saturday a four-year old boy who had been stung by a jellyfish was tended to by Swanage coastguards.

And an injured woman climber had to be rescued from the broken-down vessel Esperon, which was anchored off Anvil Point.

The woman was transferred to the lifeboat and then airlifted by helicopter to a waiting ambulance in Poole.

Two young boys on a lilo off Seatown had to be rescued by coastguards.

An unconscious man who was found on the beach at Eypes Mouth had to be airlifted to hospital in Dorchester.

A woman diver from the boat Tango, six miles off Portland, had to be airlifted to Poole to be met by a specialist dive doctor from the recompression chamber.

Wyke coastguards heard from MV Apollo that it had taken in tow a speedboat with two people on board. The vessel had found them broken down off Weymouth.

Fast Fisher Shadowfax lost the drive on its gearbox in the area of the East Shambles Buoy. The vessel Close Encounter came to the rescue and stood by until FV Petite Angela arrived to tow it back into Weymouth harbour.

Weymouth beach rescue was alerted when the Vessel Isis, carrying three people, reported being out of fuel off Greenhill.

Isis mananged to return safely to land unaided.