A volunteer lifeboat crew was launched for the fifth time this year to help a yacht in difficulty.

Whitstable's Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Lewisco was called out at 3.19pm yesterday after a one-masted sailing boat became stuck in the Swale to the east of Conyer Creek.

The crew located the 33-foot casualty vessel which had suffered failure of its starter motor.

A lifeboat crew member went on-board to assist and the craft was taken under tow to a nearby mooring.

The two occupants of the yacht which had been on passage from Queenborough to Conyer remained onboard overnight to await a tow into Conyer Creek this morning.

The lifeboat then returned to station.