Two sailors on a sinking motor cruiser were rescued by a police patrol boat and the RNLI.

HM Coastguard raised the alarm as the 40-foot (13m) vessel started taking in water near Queenborough harbour on the Isle of Sheppey.

Officers from the Search and Marine Unit aboard the police patrol boat Invicta were on the River Medway when they received the call and raced to help.

A broken pump on the cruiser meant it was filling with water and in danger of going under.

Acting Sergeant Sam Milton said: "During our inspection of the vessel’s essential equipment we found it to have one defective electronic pump and no manual pump.

"The fact it started to sink because of this should serve as a reminder to all boat-owners to ensure their vessels are in a seaworthy condition before being taken onto the water."

He added: "Fortunately, on this occasion we were able to work with our partners at HM Coastguard and the RNLI to ensure those on board were safe and that their boat was not consigned to the riverbed."

The RNLI's £2.2m lifeboat Judith Copping Joyce was launched from Sheerness and its crew used a spare portable pump to get rid of the excess water, allowing the cruiser's crew to reach dry land.

An RNLI spokesman said: "Once the water was pumped out, the source of the problem was found to be the vessel's stern gland, which was leaking badly."

The crew used rubber sheeting to temporarily seal the leak so the cruiser's bilge pump could keep the inside dry. The spokesman added: "It was intended that the craft would be taken to Gillingham to be lifted out of the water and repaired."

The alarm was raised at 4pm on Wednesday. (Sept 27)

The Island's new all-weather Shannon class lifeboat, which is to be officially named in a special ceremony at Queenborough this Saturday (Oct 8), was launched at 6.28pm and arrived at the scene at 6.45pm. The crew were stood down at 8.40pm and were back at Sheerness Docks at 9.10pm. The weather was calm.