A barge built more than a century ago needed emergency repairs after a collision during the 36th annual Swale Smack and Sailing Barge Match.

Thirty-six of the starting field of 71 finished the race on Saturday, which is organised by the Kentish Sail Association.

The 80ft long wooden barge Marjorie, built in 1901, suffered a 4ft gash in her port side when she and steel barge Repertor collided.

Whitstable’s volunteer lifeboat crews found the vessel, which had nine people on board.

Helmsman Dave Parry said: “Water was already up to the level of the floor in the former hold.

“Two members of the lifeboat crew went on board with a salvage pump and started operations to pump out the casualty.”

The crew were already trying to make repairs and the lifeboat took two small children and their mother off the barge and on to a tug boat which had been shadowing the race.

The lifeboat crew, Henry Thomson and John Skinner as well as Mr Parry, then passed a towline to the tug boat which managed to tow the Marjorie from a sandbank where it had been 'beached’ and into deeper water where she was able to then use engine power to get to safety.

~For match pictures, see this week's Faversham News