A stricken sailor was rescued after being knocked unconscious by a yacht's boom.

Sheerness RNLI's lifeboat team were called out after another crew member raised the alarm yesterday.

The casualty, from Strood, was aged in early 50s.

An RNLI spokesman said: "The inshore lifeboat was launched at 6.01pm to assist an injured person onboard the yacht Dream Chaser around three miles west of Garrison Point at Salt Pan Reach.

"A crew member was struck on the head by the yachts boom, the person was unconscious for a short period, upon arrival the lifeboat crew administered oxygen and the casualty regained consciousness."

The man was taken ashore at Sheerness to a waiting ambulance.