Lifeboat crews were called to rescue three people aboard a stricken yacht which was issuing a May Day distress call.

The de-masted yacht was six miles off Rye Harbour when it made the distress call, and the RNLI team at Dungeness responded shortly after 6pm on Friday, June 23.

Deputy second coxswain Mark Richardson was in charge of The Morrell, a Shannon class lifeboat, where it was decided to escort the vessel into a safe lee off Dungeness.

The volunteers helped the vessels’ crew anchor safely near Littlestone and rest comfortably for the night, to allow them to continue on their way to Dover today (Saturday, June 24).

The lifeboat crew returned at 9.45pm.