A pensioner was taken to hospital after tumbling from his bike in Blue Town, Sheerness, on the Isle of Sheppey this morning.

Retired head teacher Martin Webb, 70, had been cycling to the launch of a new boat at Queenborough Rowing Club with his wife Cindy when he hit unused railway lines across the Brielle Way. It is not known if a car was involved.

The tracks were used to take trains into Sheerness Docks.

Police diverted traffic as paramedics treated Mr Webb who was taken to Medway Accident Centre with cuts and bruises. It is understood he may have had teeth knocked out in the fall.

His sister-in-law Daf Charman, a longstanding member of the 21-year-old club, was performing the launch ceremony of the boat which has been named The Lady Daf in her honour.

She said: "This is so sad. Martin and Cindy had just returned from a motorhome holiday in Germany and had been camping at Barton's Point Coastal Park. They had been on their way to the ceremony when the crash happened. We had been planning a family Sunday roast at the Barton's Point club house."

She added: "Both are veteran cyclists. They wear all the right safety equipment and don't take risks. We don't know how this happened."

The naming ceremony of the six-man £16,000 fibre-glass Celtic long boat went ahead as planned.