Two children were involved in a rescue from a yacht when it started taking in water in rough seas.

Bursts of water got in through a damaged porthole as it lapped over the waterline during swells.

Dungeness RNLI was called in to help the four people - two adults and the children - who were on board.

The 16-metre yacht got into trouble four miles north of the lifeboat station just before 6.40pm yesterday.

One lifeboat crew member boarded the vessel to assess the situation and the porthole was shored up with pillows to stop further leaking.

Coxswain Stuart Adams decided the vessel should be escorted to Dover for repairs.

He said: “Although the skipper was well equipped for the passage he did the right thing calling us out as his main concern was the safety of his children.”

The yacht had been sailing from Ramsgate to Eastbourne.

The Dungeness lifeboat The Morrell went out after the RNLI was paged by Dover Coastguard.