Margate coastguard investigated reports of a small dinghy washed ashore at Westbrook at around 6am on Tuesday.

The alarm was raised by a resident walking their dog. It was originally feared that someone could be lost at sea.

Coastguard Keith Silcock said the service arrived at the scene, checked records for missing or stolen craft, but no records matched.

He said: "The craft was in a poor state and it is believed it was probably used for a tender to a larger sailing vessel and had probably brokemn l;oose and drifted to shore.

"Inquiries are on-going but it is believed no-one is missing at sea.".