A sudden downpour swept a yacht off course and onto a sandbank off the Suffolk coast just a few hours after the boat had been bought by the crew on board.

Lowestoft lifeboat was called to help free the yacht from the edge of a sandbank off Lowestoft yesterday, following a mayday call from the edge of the Newcombe sands at about 11.50am.

Lifeboat coxswain John Fox, who was on the Shannon Class relief fleet lifeboat, Reg, said: “We were initially alerted by Lowestoft Port Control, who had heard the mayday distress call, although at that time it was unclear who the vessel in distress was, or where it was located.

“Our volunteer crew were paged, and as soon as we launched we used our direction finding equipment to home onto the stranded vessel’s radio transmission and we then headed straight to their position.

“On arrival we found a 27ft yacht named ‘Cannonade’ about two miles south of Lowestoft harbour entrance and on the edge of the sandbank.

“The two people on board told us that they had just purchased the yacht and were on passage from Ipswich to the Humber.

“A blustery, squally shower was buffeting the yacht and they had no power as a rope had fouled around their propeller.

“With a tow line attached, we pulled the yacht clear of the shallow water and into the Stamford Channel before bringing her into the harbour and the safely Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club Marina.”