An elderly man was taken to hospital after he fell ill while onboard a yacht in the River Orwell.

The solo yachtsman reported suffering abdominal pains while onboard his 25ft catamaran, Pelican Humble.

Harwich Lifeboat was launched at around 3.50pm yesterday and towed the yacht from the entrance to the River Orwell to Suffolk Yacht Harbour, in Levington, where the boat was met and assisted ashore by Felixstowe Coastguard and an ambulance crew.

The man was then taken to Heath Road Hospital, in Ipswich.

Earlier, at around 10.20am, Thames Coastguard stood by and supervised a 30ft sailing yacht, Moonraker, with four people on board, which suffered engine failure, due to a fuel leak, about a mile off Thorpeness.

The crew onboard the yacht were able to carry out temporary repairs and continue their sail to Lowestoft.