A MAN towing a boat through Ramsgate left a trail of destruction as he forgot to lower the mast.

As the 4x4 towed the boat on its trailer, the 20ft aluminium mast ripped down telephone and power lines on its way through the town.

Eyewitness Lorraine Rye, who lives on the affected Boundary Road, said: “I heard a lot of blokes shouting and I ran out. The boat was coming up the road and the mast was still up. He was pulling all the wires down.

“I banged on the window and he stopped. He was very shaken. He just went white he was so scared and shaking.”

Wires for lighting in York Road were also brought down. The mast of the 20ft yacht, called Moonwind, eventually snapped under the bombardment.

The driver of the Frontera, who had not realised the damage he was causing until too late, was given a fixed-penalty notice by police.The incident happened at about 12.15pm on Thursday.