Mary Poppins had to wait for the wind and tide to change after getting marooned on Dead Man’s Island off Queenborough.

Two men were taken off a 22ft yacht named after the children’s favourite nanny when it ran aground.

Dead Man's Island is off limits to members of the public. It was used to bury the dead from the prisoner hulks moored off Sheppey.

RNLI spokesman Vic Booth said: “The craft ran hard aground on Dead Man’s Island someway from the deep water channel as its crew tried to motor into Queenborough Harbour in the early hours of Sunday on the high spring tide.

“The Sheerness inshore lifeboat crew quickly found it but after attaching a tow line several attempts were made to pull the craft into deeper water without success.

"Even with assistance from a passing Sheerness Port work boat further attempts to refloat it were also unsuccessful.”

As the tide was falling it was decided to secure the yacht with an anchor and abandon any further rescue attempts.

Mr Booth said: “The two men were taken off their yacht and ferried to Queenborough Harbour.”

It is believed the men returned to make their own arrangements to refloat the boat on the next high tide.