COASTGUARDS were called into action more than 20 times in the space of a few hours as they warned that some people were lucky to be alive.

The coastguard helicopter winched two people from the roof of their car at Litton Cheney after it was swept along by flood water.

They were taken aboard at 10.15am on Saturday and flown to Portland before being helped home by coastguard officers.

Firefighters, police and coastguard officers were also called to the scene.

The helicopter was also scrambled to rescue a man with chest pains at West Bexington at 4.30pm on Saturday as his home was cut off by flood water.

The aircraft landed in a field behind the house and paramedics were eventually able to reach him and he was taken to hospital by ambulance. The helicopter was also sent to the River Brit, near the Palmers brewery in South Street in Bridport where it was feared two women were trapped in the rising waters.

West Bay Coastguards also attended the scene at 3.05pm as the pair were rescued and taken to shore safe and well.

West Bay coastguard rescue officers were called out after West Bay RNLI lifeguards reported a person in the water in the harbour. They found the man had been separated from his kayak and had been swept through the sluice gate into the harbour and was extremely lucky to be alive, but was otherwise unharmed. They said he was given plenty of safety advice.

Lyme lifeboat was called out to help the cabin cruiser Jozilee which was in danger of breaking its mooring outside of the harbour.

The skipper was transferred to the vessel from the lifeboat and it was moored inside the harbour in a safer position. Lyme Coastguard Rescue Team and the Weymouth sector manager also helped firefighters with the evacuation of flooded properties at Charmouth.

A sailor was transferred to land by Weymouth lifeboat after securing his yacht to a mooring after becoming concerned at Lulworth Cove.

A 20 foot motor boat capsized and drifting in the River Axe following flooding but no-one was aboard.

Coastguards and police were called out when the River Corfe burst its banks in Corfe Castle village.

Victims shelter with pub landlord

HOME owners in Maiden Newton sheltered neighbours and strangers alike after two rivers burst their banks on Saturday.

Farmers turned out with tractors to try to pump the water away from affected homes while residents took shelter in the Chalk and Cheese pub.

Landlord Al Murray said he could not count the number of people he took in.

He said: “We offered our skittle alley as shelter and managed to get some blankets from the nearby care home. We have been doing our best to feed people.”

Mr Murray said kind-hearted residents, whose homes were not affected by the floods, had taken people in.

“Everyone with a spare room available offered a bed to someone. One lady took in two strangers who were stranded as they were coming through trying to get to Worcester. The community spirit has been tremendous.”