The brave actions of the crew of fishing boat, Megan M, have been praised, after they came to the aid of several boats blown from their moorings when yesterday's wild weather hammered Fishguard Bay, The first casualty of north easterly winds, gusting up to gale force ten, was the fishing vessel Pisces which broke free of her moorings near the inner breakwater.

A crew member from Megan M, boarded the vessel, managed to restart the engine and take it to a safe place.

Another fishing boat, Euroclydon, broke down when leaving its moorings in the harbour and was immediately swept onto the rocks. Megan M's RHIB the Cariad M managed to get a line aboard the stricken vessel until Fishguard’s all-weather lifeboat could reach the scene and tow her to safety.

The lifeboat then checked the other moorings in the harbour and found fishing vessel Helen D missing from her mooring. She was subsequently found wrecked on the shoreline of Fishguard Harbour. The yacht Coral Wind had also come adrift from her moorings and was recovered by the Cariad M.

Another fishing vessel Jay-C was blown off her moorings and remained beached on the foreshore opposite the Seaview Hotel, it is due to be refloated on the spring tide tomorrow.

Mike Rogers, Milford Haven Coastguard watch manager said: "I’d like to thank the Megan M and the Cariad M for coming to the assistance of vessels in the harbour today in extremely challenging conditions. Their work was a reflection of true maritime spirit.”