A guard vessel that ran aground on a sandbank off a north Suffolk port brought a speedy response from a rescue crew.

Lowestoft RNLI relief lifeboat Bridie O’Shea was called when the vessel was grounded on the sandbank close to the harbour entrance at Lowestoft.

Lowestoft Journal: The RNLI were called during the early hours of the morningThe RNLI were called during the early hours of the morning (Image: RNLI)

Coxswain John Fox said: ‘We were called by UK Coastguard at 11.30pm (1 August 2021) to assist a 20-metre vessel, a former stern trawler, that was stranded on the end of the Holm Sands.

“When we reached the vessel it was the bottom of the tide and low water. The vessel had a four-metre draught and was on the bottom and rolling on its keel. So we had to be patient and wait for the water to rise to help with re-floating.

"After almost three hours we re-assessed the situation and it was agreed that the safest action was to connect a towline and help to ease the vessel into deeper water."

After pulling the vessel to safety the lifeboat returned to its mooring at 3.45am.