by Jenni Horn

Two men have appeared in court accused of stealing a dinghy after a rescue drama on the River Medway last night.

William Messer, 19, of Elm Avenue, Rochester, and Joshua Finn, 18, of Coronation Road, Isle of Grain, have both been charged with theft.

The pair appeared before Medway magistrates this morning and were remanded on bail until January 6.

Earlier today, we reported how two teenagers had to be rescued after their dinghy drifted towards the gas terminal at Grain.

A Medway Police spokesman said: "On Monday, October 3, officers from Kent Police saw two men in a small boat on the River Medway in the vicinity of Grain power station.

"Officers contacted the coastguard who attended and two men were later arrested on suspicion of theft."

Thames Coastguard received a call just after 6pm last night, when the men were seen trying to row using pieces of wood as paddles.

The Sheerness Inshore Lifeboat was dispatched to the scene and found the dinghy almost ashore near Horseshoe Point, inshore of the liquefied natural gas terminal at Grain.