A broken down cabin cruiser stranded in the Channel was towed to safety by the Dungeness RNLI.

At 4.30pm yesterday Dover Coastguard alerted the crew to an 8m cabin cruiser on its way to Dover from Eastbourne.

It had two people on-board and had broken down.

It was being towed by another vessel, two miles south of Dungeness.

Once on scene, duty coxswain Mark Richardson in charge of the RNLI

Shannon class lifeboat 13-02 The Morrell met with the two vessels and it was decided his volunteer crew should rig up a tow rope from the lifeboat.

The casualty was then towed back back to its berth in Dover.

The vessel was able to make its own way to its berth.

A statement from RNLI said: "After making sure everyone was safe, the lifeboat returned to Dungeness, refuelled and was ready for service by 9pm."

Duty coxswain Mr Richardson said: "The casualty was well kitted out and was unlucky to have developed engine failure."