A sailor has been rescued from the English Channel after his yacht drifted “hopelessly” for three days without a working engine or radio.

Kent Police’s Search and Marine Unit came across the vessel while on a routine patrol off the Port of Dover at about 11am on Sunday, the force said.

The yachtsman told officers that his engine had failed, which also caused his radio to lose power.

Kent Police Tactical Operations account tweeted: “The person on board told us he had been drifting hopelessly for 3 days!! Kent Marine Unit have towed an extremely grateful sailor and his yacht in to the safety of a port.

“To be fair to him, he did have his sails up but there was hardly a breath of wind to help him out!”

A police spokeswoman said the vessel was towed to the Port of Dover marina and no injuries were reported.