North Yorkshire RNLI crew issues flare plea after Christmas Day search

Whitby crew urges people not to set off flares in non-emergencies after pyrotechnic was possibly let off as a celebration'

An RNLI crew has warned against setting off flares when there is no emergency, after it was called out on Christmas Day for the first time in living memory.

Whitby's all-weather lifeboat launched on Sunday after two members of its team spotted a red flare above the North Yorkshire town's harbour.