Lifeboat crews rescued 10 people - including a child - after their boat started sinking in the Swale.

The 34ft angling boat began taking in water in the entrance to the estuary near Faversham yesterday afternoon.

Whitstable's RNLI team, who were taking part in Whitstable Regatta, were called to help those on board the stricken boat at about 3pm.

The group were put onto the Whitstable lifeboat and taken ashore at Harty on the Isle of Sheppey.

A lifeboat crew member then jumped aboard the angling boat with a salvage pump, but after 20 minutes of pumping, there was little improvement on the water level.

The team then called for back-up from the Margate lifeboat crew, which has a larger capacity pump.

They arrived at 4pm, and by 5.15pm, the water level in the angling boat was reduced enough to allow crews to tow it to the beach at Hollowshore in Faversham Creek.