TWO people have been rescued after a yacht broke down on the River Mersey.

RNLI New Brighton were alerted at 4.30pm on Monday, June 24 after reports a yacht with engine failure had been drifting into the main shipping channel of the River Mersey between the Pier Head and 12 Quays Ferry Terminal.

Two people and two dogs were on board the yacht at the time of the incident and were safely taken to the marina by 5.38pm.

Joining the lifeboat volunteers on her first call out as RNLI crew was geology student Lucy Shaw.

Wirral Globe:

Lucy with RNLI Station Mechanic Mike Jones on her return from the call out (Picture: Paul Ambrose/RNLI)

One of five female members of the crew at New Brighton, Lucy's call came after eight months of training and just as she stepped through the door after a day at Liverpool John Moores University

She said: "Although I felt the adrenalin that comes when the pager goes off, it really focuses you too.

"Heading out on regular exercises means that when needed as today, the training kicks in and everyone knows what to do.

"It’s great to be part of such a tight team and ultimately, helping people out of trouble is a difficult feeling to beat."

The RNLI is advising sailors that they should tell someone where they are going and when they'll be back and that they have a way of contacting someone if in need, as well as making sure they wear a lifejacket.

RNLI Lifeboat operations manager Ian Thornton said: "On the scene, the yacht’s crew were making every effort to start the engine but our lifeboat volunteers needed to get them out of the shipping channel and out of harm’s way.

"Mechanical failure can happen to anyone at any time.

"We were on the scene quickly and able to tow the vessel to the safety of Liverpool Marina."