Dartmouth lifeboatmen were among the life saving teams battling the floods that battered the whole country last weekend.

Volunteers Chris Tracey and Yorkie Lomas ended up in Lostwithiel as they helped to save 12 people, two dogs and six cats as the flood threatened to engulf more than 100 homes.

The pair are part of the RNLI South West Flood Rescue Team which was mobilised over the weekend, drawing in volunteers from lifeboat stations at St Agnes, Looe, Rock, Lyme Regis and Weston-super-Mare as well as Dartmouth.

A Dartmouth RNLI spokesman said: 'They were called out at 4.30am on Saturday to rendezvous with the rest of the 13-strong team.

'The team initially met at the RNLI divisional base at Saltash where the equipment, including transport and two lifeboats, a D-class inshore lifeboat and an Arancia inshore rescue boat are stored.

'They were stood down at 8am but recalled at 3.30pm the same afternoon and deployed immediately to Lostwithiel.

'There the river had overflowed its banks and there was a risk that up to 100 homes would be flooded.

'There was also a risk that the local reservoir would overflow. They were led by two full time RNLI Inspectors and worked alongside other emergency services, including the Cornwall Fire and Rescue teams.

Chris Tracey led the crew in the D-class lifeboat as they waded in chest-deep water between the flooded homes.

'They assisted 12 people, two dogs and six cats.

'The two dogs were sheltering from the water on the stairs and had to launch themselves into the water and swim across the lounge to get to the boat. At its highest the water was half way up the front doors.

'The team was stood down at midnight having been on call for more than 20 hours.'