A volunteer lifeboat crew were scrambled to help a Dutch yacht after it suffered an engine failure at sea.

The yacht became stranded with a rope around its propeller while nearing Lowestoft, with the crew of the town's RNLI lifeboat Patsy Knight called out at 8.30am on Friday morning, July 29.

Lowestoft Lifeboat Coxswain John Fox said: "We soon reached the 12-metre yacht which was about three-quarters of a mile off the port entrance, in the Stamford Channel.

"The four people on board had sailed from Den Oever in the Netherlands the previous day but unfortunately a rope had become wrapped around the propeller – so they were without power to complete their journey.

"We decided that a tow was necessary and the safest way to assist them.”

The yacht was brought safely into the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Marina to be met by the Lowestoft Coastguard Rescue Team - arriving just after 9.15am.