THREE people have been arrested after a booze-fuelled prank nearly turned into a tragedy.

THREE people have been arrested after a booze-fuelled prank nearly turned into a tragedy.

Police were called to Brightlingsea Harbour in Essex last night after the trio, described by the Coastguard as “inebriated”, boarded the harbour launch Dracula.

They were seen to manoeuvre the vessel erratically around the harbour.

When they eventually pulled up alongside a pontoon and tried to get off the boat, two fell into the icy water and had to be rescued by a lifeboat crew from Clacton.

The group were subsequently arrested.