In Pictures: Scroby Sands from the air

A washed up yacht on Scroby is now a windbreak for some of the thousand or so seals. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

And, as these stunning aerial photographs show, the latest is no exception.

The pictures, taken by pilot and photographer Mike Page, capture views of a stranded yacht which ran aground on Scroby Sands last month.

The vessel, Olivia, was being sailed single-handed by a Russian sailor who had left St Petersburg in the summer, headed for Morocco.

He got into difficulties off the Norfolk coast and had to be rescued twice within the space of one week.

A washed up yacht on Scroby is now a windbreak for some of the thousand or so seals. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

The first incident, on December 6, saw a routine training exercise for Caister lifeboat turn into a real emergency, when they were called out to the yacht.

Within 20 minutes of the alarm, two lifeboatmen were on the Olivia, where they found the sailor – known only as Valerie – had injured his right hand.

The vessel was towed into Great Yarmouth, where it remained for a period. Six days later, however, it was back at sea and back in difficulties, having run aground on the sandbank.

The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat was called out and was able to get the sailor to safety. He has since returned to Russia.

Two crew from the Caister Lifeboat help the stricken yachtsman aboard the boat Olivia. Photo: Paul Garrod/Caister Lifeboat (Image: Paul Garrod/Caister Lifeboat)

However, weather conditions made it impossible to tow the yacht off the sandbank, so it was left to its fate.

Now, lying on its side on the exposed sandbank, it has become home a feature for its seal inhabitants. Paul Garrod, coxswain at Caister lifeboat, said the boat is too far on the sand to be easily salvaged.

'I think it'll either break up, or if it refloats and becomes a danger to shipping then we or someone else will go out and get it,' he added.

'In the meantime, it's a lovely home for the seals.'