COUPLE RESCUED AFTER MOBILE PHONE CALL

Phoning friends thousands of miles away rescued British couple Jill and Robert Watson from their storm-tossed yacht as they were in danger of sinking off the coast of Italy. The UK officials scrambled an Italian lifeboat crew to save the couple.

The £80,000 yacht got into trouble in the Mediterranean. Their engine and steering failed in a storm, the radio broke and their distress flares went unnoticed.

Jill phoned friends, fellow sailors John and Margaret Moore at home in Chester-le-Street, County Durham who took their co-ordinates, then phoned the Humber coastguard who contacted authorities in Rome and a lifeboat was scrambled.

The boat saved the couple shortly before their yacht, the Camomile, sank beneath the waves.