A Walmer Lifeboat crew towed a catamaran to safety after it lost power after dark two miles east of Dover.

The nine metre long vessel Catch Up was on its way from Boulogne to Lowestoft with two people on board when it started drifting.

Lifeboat press officer John Turgoose said: “There was a strong south westerly wind, force six, blowing against an ebb tide, so there was some swell in the Dover Strait for the stricken vessel to cope with.”

Walmer’s Atlantic class lifeboat was called out by coastguard officers and the crew of four quickly found the stricken vessel.

Mr Turgoose added: “Our crew member James Salmon went on board to secure a tow.

“Although the catamaran has two engines, one would not operate and the other had a rope around the propeller.”

Catch Up, crewed by the owners from near Stafford, was towed into Dover Harbour shortly before 6am on Thursday.

Simon Moore was on his first rescue as helmsman of the Walmer Atlantic lifeboat Donald McLauchlan.

He said: “This was a textbook rescue with some sea swell running. The crew pulled together to make a good team for the task.”