Lifeboat crews rescued a stricken yacht off the Suffolk coast after its engine failed.

Thee Lowestoft RNLI lifeboat 'Patsy Knight' was launched soon after 6am this morning to go to the aid of the yacht that was in trouble six miles east of Lowestoft.

Lifeboat coxswain John Fox said: 'We were called out to help the crew of two on a 32 foot Dutch yacht reporting engine failure.

'When we arrived at the stranded vessel the skipper told us that the yacht's propeller seemed to have become fouled causing the engine to fail.

He added: 'There was a fresh to strong north-easterly breeze blowing and the sea state was quite bumpy.

'We threw a line to the yacht skipper and then towed the vessel back to Lowestoft and moored her in the yacht basin just after 8am.'