It comes after a man capsized in the water on Thursday afternoon

The assistant harbour master at Felixstowe Ferry has emphasised the need for people to wear life jackets at the harbour after it saved a man’s life.

Stephen Read was on duty on Thursday afternoon when a man, thought to be in his 70s, came to check on his boat in the wake of Storm David.

He said that he watched as the man took a dingy out to reach his boat but ended up capsizing when an outboard motor failed and the strong tide hit the craft.

The emergency services were called but those at the harbour were able to rescue the man and he suffered no injuries as a result.

Without his buoyancy aid Mr Read believes that there would have been a fatality: “If he hadn’t had a life jacket on he would have gone under.”

The man was able to return later in the day to collect his dinghy once the tide had gone out.

Mr Read said the man was still in shock but thanked all those who had been involved in his rescue.