AN INVESTIGATION is continuing following a collision between a ferry and a high-speed catamaran in dense fog outside Dover on Sunday morning. A spokesman for Dover Coastguard said the Hoverspeed Seacat had a 25m scratch down its side after the clash with the freight ship Northern Merchant.

He added: "The incident could quite easily have been a lot nastier and there was quite substantial damage to the Seacat, but thankfully no-one was hurt."

The Northern Merchant, with its 59 passengers and 43 crew, was on its way from Dover to Dunkirk when the collision occurred just before 10am. Diamant, the Hoverspeed craft, had 148 people on board and was able to continue its journey into Dover for a normal unloading of passengers and cars.

Nick Stevens, the company's public relations officer, said: "There was no damage to the water-tight area of the Seacat. I would describe the incident as no more than a brush."

Coastguards estimated visibility at between 200-300 yards when the collision occurred three miles south east of Dover and said it was too early to apportion blame.