Wells lifeboat crews towed a stricken fishing boat to the safety of the harbour after it developed engine problems near a wind farm off the Norfolk coast.

The 15m boat Nauru, with two crew members on board, was on its way from Harwich to Scarborough when it began having difficulties with its navigation system about 10 miles north of Cromer, shortly after 9.30am today.

Humber Coastguard said the boat had lost power and might lose her batteries and radio communications, so the Wells lifeboat was launched and asked to stand by while a tug was organised to help the struggling fishing boat continue its journey

But at about midday the vessel's engines failed, so the lifeboat crew was needed to rescue the boat and tow it back to Wells, where it was moored near the outer harbour, by about 4.55pm.

Peter Rainsford, deputy launching authority for Wells Lifeboat, said: 'We were meant to be standing by while she went under her own steam, but then her steam ran out.

'Her engines failed and there was a risk she could have drifted into the Sheringham Shoal wind farm, so we took her in tow at about noon. She arrived back at the port at about 4pm.'