TWO holidaymakers from Swindon were among those rescued in dramatic scenes off the Isles of Scilly after a boat they were on hit a rock and began to sink.

Sheila Walker, 68, of Grovelands Avenue, was on a day trip to the island of St Agnes on Sunday along with her travelling companion Norman Barrett, also from Swindon.

They were two hours into the trip, enjoying the sight of puffins, seals, cormorants and shearwater, when the disaster struck.

The boat, aptly named ‘Surprise’, was damaged below the waterline by the impact and started taking on water prompting the crew to issue a mayday call.

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Sheila Walker after being rescued from the stricken ferry

All 48 passengers were told to don lifejackets and the inflatable life rafts were deployed.

Several small vessels responded to the mayday call shortly after 11.30am and the passengers were transferred across to them.

Search and rescue helicopters, the Isles of Scilly marine ambulance and a lifeboat from the nearby island of St Mary’s also responded.

Sheila and Norman were transferred onto the lifeboat along with their two friends from Cirencester.

All 48 passengers and two crew were relayed safely back to St Mary’s where emergency services were on hand to offer treatment if needed – remarkably, no injuries were reported.

A pumping team was dispatched to the Surprise and the boat was safely recovered to port.

Sheila and her three friends have not been deterred, they plan to take to the sea again and finish their trip to St Agnes later today.

The rescue was the largest maritime operation of its kind around the Isles of Scilly in at least 60 years.

A spokesperson for St Mary’s RNLI station said: “The lifeboat was launched to assist the local passenger vessel Surprise which was taking in water by the Daisy in the Western Rocks.

“Fishing vessel Pioneer along with another RIB were on scene within minutes of the mayday call being broadcast and using the RIB they were able to get in close to transfer passengers to the Pioneer.

“On arrival the lifeboat transferred a crewman with the salvage pump to the Surprise, whilst the RIB owner transferred his passengers to the ambulance boat which had just arrived on scene.

“The lifeboat then took all the passengers off the three vessels to get an accurate head count and make sure there were no injuries or illness.

“The lifeboat then returned the passengers back to St Mary’s Harbour and into the care of the Coast Guard team and the ambulance crews if required.

“Throughout this incident the skipper and crew of the Surprise acted professionally and with great care towards the passengers which is evident as not one of the passengers got wet, everyone had a life-jacket on and all were in good spirits throughout.

“Thank you to all the vessels involved and all the vessels that responded and proceeded to the scene, and to the others that offered to help.”

The boat was being towed by the RNLI into St Mary's Harbour.