A lone kayaker was pulled to safety in a dramatic rescue during a gale.

The man had become stranded on Nore Marsh in the River Medway yesterday after attempting to paddle back to Upnor.

The Sheerness Lifeboat crew was called at 12.30pm and due to the force eight winds, with gusts of up to force 10, it was decided to launch its all-weather vessel, The George and Ivy Swanson.

The kayaker was found at 12.50pm and in difficult conditions the lifeboat managed to close to within 25m of the shore.

The stranded person was able to paddle out and was taken on board along with his craft.

He was taken safely ashore at Gillingham Marina where he was met by the Medway Coastguard.

Sheerness Lifeboat coxswain Robin Castle said: “The all-weather lifeboat was launched due to the atrocious weather conditions in the River Medway at the time with south westerly winds blowing force eight gusting to force ten and very rough seas.

“The kayaker had been camping on Darnett Ness on the Medway and was blown over to the Nore Marsh while attempting to paddle back to Upnor and was extremely lucky not to have ended up in an even more serious predicament.”