A lone sailor was rescued from his yacht which had run aground on the base of a Martello Tower.

The crew of Sheerness inshore lifeboat Buster found the seven-metre long vessel Matariki high and dry with one man aboard on yesterday.

The boat was stuck among obstructions on the 19th century defence tower which had been built during the Napoleonic wars at Grain Spit opposite Garrison Point.

RNLI spokesman Vic Booth said: “The crew quickly found the yacht as it was so near to the lifeboat station.”

The alarm was raised at 1.17pm.

Mr Booth said: “Having laid out anchors fore and aft to secure the yacht, the man was taken on board the lifeboat and landed at the lifeboat station at 1.45pm where he made his own arrangements to recover the craft later on the flood tide.”

The lifeboat was called out again last night at 9.21pm to reports of a person in the water at Sun Pier, Chatham, but was stood down when the person was found by police.