by Sian Napier

A 64-year-old man who fell overboard from his yacht in near gale force winds was rescued by Whitstable lifeboat.

It found the 30ft yacht drifting in the wind and tide with the man in the water at the stern on Friday.

Lifeboat helmsman Jon Carter said: "The man was secured to his yacht by a line attached to his lifejacket harness and his wife, who was on board, was unable to assist."

Other crew members kept hold of the man's line to keep him as far out of the water and as near to the yacht as possible until he could be got out of the sea.

Having taken on a lot of water, the man was cold and disorientated. He was placed in a thermal blanket and taken to Whitstable lifeboat station where paramedics were waiting, along with an ambulance.

The man was taken to the QEQM Hospital at Margate and released later that evening.

The couple, from London, were on their way to Ramsgate.