Coastguard rescue crews have been putting their lifesaving skills to the test during a training exercise on Plymouth Sound.
Around 11 members of the team took part at about 2pm this afternoon from the beach near the site of the old pier, with some entering the water while others worked from the shore.
They practised using a throwline, repeatedly throwing a flotation device attached to a rope to a colleague in the water and bringing them back to shore.
Coastguard Rescue Officers are volunteers who can be called out at any time of day or night. They are trained in water rescue, casualty care, searches and communications, and having the Sound on their doorstep makes Plymouth an ideal place to train.
The exercise also gave people passing along the waterfront a glimpse of the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post