Emergency services were called to multiple incidents after Dorset was lashed by heavy rain and winds at the weekend.

A multi-agency search was launched after a group of wind and kite surfers were knocked down by gale force winds and reported as possibly missing on Saturday afternoon.

The surfers were near Castle Cove sailing club in Weymouth when a strong gust of wind accompanied by torrential rain knocked them down, sparking a Mayday call.

Weymouth lifeboat launched at 12.25pm to help Wyke Coastguard and Portland Bill Coastguard Rescue teams in the search for the surfers, which also involved the coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-Solent.

A Weymouth RNLI spokesman said: "Information was at first difficult to come by as to exactly how many wind surfers were involved or missing. Later it was decided that there were possibly two people still unaccounted for."

Coastguards found one of the last two surfers by a safety boat, and the other sheltering at Smallmouth Bay. All surfers made it safely ashore.

In another incident, two crew members were washed overboard a yacht in rough weather conditions.

The 40ft French registered yacht made a Mayday call after one of its crew members was washed overboard on Saturday evening.

In trying to help them back onto the boat, another crew member fell overboard after the rough conditions caused the yacht's spinnaker to become snagged.

Wyke Coastguard Rescue and paramedics met the yacht at Weymouth Harbour following the incident. Both casualties were taken to Dorset County Hospital as a precaution due to suspected salt water inhalation.

Lifeboat crews from Swanage were also called to reports of a 'man overboard' just before 3pm on Saturday (10)

Swanage RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched after receiving a call from the UK Coastguard reporting that the incident had happened 24 nautical miles south west of Anvil Point.

As the lifeboat prepared to launch, a further call was received to say the man overboard had been recovered by the fishing boat he fell from.

A driver was rescued from his car after getting stuck in a deep ford.

Firefighters were called to help the man who had got stuck in the 2.5ft deep ford on Dark Lane, Sturminster Newton, at 11.20pm on Friday.

Crews used wading gear and a sling to carry the man from his vehicle to dry land. The man, who was uninjured, was able to return home shortly after the incident.

Downpours mixed with gale force winds caused damaged to the sea defence barriers at Overcombe in Weymouth.

Passer-by John Jenkins captured the scene on Sunday morning which showed shingle from the beach spread across the path.