The crew of Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat 'Patsy Knight' were called out at 7pm on Monday evening to go to assist a small motor cruiser that had run aground on a sandbank off Lowestoft.

Lowestoft Journal: The small motor cruiser 'Summer Daze' that run aground off Lowestoft. Picture: RNLI/James TaconThe small motor cruiser 'Summer Daze' that run aground off Lowestoft. Picture: RNLI/James Tacon (Image: Archant)

Lifeboat coxswain John Fox said: 'We launched to assist the 24 foot motor cruiser 'Summer Daze' that was hard aground on the Newcome Sands one and a half miles south-east of the harbour.

'When we reached the stranded vessel we found that it was still stuck fast on the inside edge of the sandbank and the two crew on board said they had been there for two hours waiting for the incoming tide to rise sufficiently for them to get the vessel off.

'After about ten minutes and with the lifeboat standing-by, the cruiser managed to gradually free itself using its own engine power.

'In poor visibility and heavy drizzle, the vessel was then escorted back to the safety of the yacht basin apparently non the worse for its ordeal.'