A man and his pet dog, who were 'stranded' on a boat after it suffered engine failure, have been rescued by Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard Rescue Teams and firefighters from Suffolk and Norfolk.

Emergency services were called out at about 2.22am this morning (Saturday) following reports of a vessel drifting on the River Waveney between Beccles and Geldeston.

HM Coastguard rescue officers from Lowestoft and Southwold were alerted, along with firefighters from Beccles and fire crews with boat units from Lowestoft and Carrow.

A spokesman for Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard Rescue Teams said: 'We were alerted by Humber Coastguard, along with Norfolk Fire and Rescue and Suffolk Fire and Rescue, to reports of a vessel drifting in the river between Beccles and Geldeston.

'After completing a search the vessel was located under the Beccles road bridge.' With six coastguard officers working with a Norfolk fire crew with boat unit from Carrow, a fire crew from Beccles as well as an appliance, Water Incident Vehicle, Rescue Vehicle and Unimog from Lowestoft South, the vessel was recovered in the Puddingmoor area and safely secured to a mooring.

'There was one man on board who along with his dog were both unharmed but cold,' the spokesman for the coastguard rescue teams said. 'The vessel had suffered engine failure which is what caused it to drift from south of Geldeston to Beccles.'

A spokesman for Suffolk fire brigade said that crews managed to recover the person and their boat to the shore by 3.45am, with all fire crews back at their home stations by 4.22am.