Police are on the hunt for an arsonist whose actions destroyed a boat and damaged part of the all-tide landing.

Firefighters from Sheppey and Queenborough were called at 3am on Thursday last week to reports of a boat alight.

Queenborough Yacht Club's trot boat, which was used to take visitors to and from their moorings, was so badly damaged it eventually sunk.

The fire also scorched the landing which the boat was tied to, and caused damage to a Swale council boat moored near by.

The council boat is used to go out to the moorings and collect fees from people using them. The fire damaged its fenders and windows.

A spokesman for Queenborough Yacht Club said their boat would cost about £6,000 to replace.

Police are trying to trace two men who were seen walking along the landing at about the time the fire took hold.

It is being treated as arson and is thought to have started sometime between 1.20am and 2.50am.

Det Sgt Neil Kimber, who is investigating the blaze, said: "Two men wearing dark clothes were seen to enter the all-time landing at about 1.20am and were then seen leaving the landing at 2.50am.

"We are very keen to trace the men, who could have valuable information about how the fire started.

"A scenes of crime officer has been at the landing obtaining forensic evidence from the boat with damaged windows, which we hope will lead us to whoever started the fire.

"We are also asking people in the area to think back. Was a friend or a member of your family out between those times?

"Did they come back in the early hours, perhaps smelling of smoke?"

• Anyone with information is asked to phone Sheerness police station on 01795 584112 quoting crime number CY/15873/10.