Sailors towed after boat problems

Smoke was spotted pouring from the vessel off the island of Bressay

Four sailors have been rescued after their boat broke down and started billowing smoke, coastguards said.

Smoke was spotted pouring from the vessel off the island of Bressay, in the Shetlands.

The boat was no longer giving off smoke when a coastguard helicopter and lifeboat arrived. The vessel and the crew were towed to Lerwick harbour.

It is not known if the fumes came from the boat's malfunctioning engine or if the sailors had released flares.

A warden from a bird reserve on the island had phoned the rescue service to say flares had been fired from the boat on Sunday, she added.