A yacht grounded on a sandbank sparked a late night rescue by a lifeboat crew.

The 35ft yacht, with three people on board, was within sight of its destination in Lowestoft when it got into difficulties.

The volunteer crew of Lowestoft RNLI lifeboat and the town’s Coastguard Rescue Team responded after the yacht ran aground on the sandbank half a mile from the harbour entrance.

With the Lowestoft RNLI relief lifeboat, Bridie O’Shea, alerted, Coxswain John Fox said: ‘We were called by UK Coastguard at 9.50pm on July 29 to assist a 35ft yacht that was stranded on the end of the Newcome Sands.

“When we reached the vessel low tide had just passed.

"The yacht was just on the end of the sandbank and couldn’t get off the sand unaided so our volunteer crew threw a tow line to the three people on the yacht and began the delicate operation of easing the craft into deeper water."

The lifeboat successfully brought the yacht into the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club marina where the sailors were met by Coastguard Rescue Officers.