A yacht which had got into in difficulties had to be given a tow by Lowestoft's RNLI all-weather lifeboat.

The Spirit of Lowestoft was launched just after 10.02pm last night (Friday, August 30) to go to the aid of a yacht with engine failure.

The yacht called Modo, which had two people on board, was 12 miles due east of Lowestoft and was struggling to make headway in the westerly breeze when the lifeboat reached it.

Lowestoft lifeboat coxswain John Fox said: 'The yacht's skipper was struggling to sail against the ebb tide, which was tending to push the vessel to the north. When his engine failed he realised that it would be risky to try to sail through the Stamford channel and negotiate the tricky harbour entrance without auxiliary power.

'We connected a tow line to the disabled vessel and safely towed her into the harbour, arriving back in the early hours, shortly after 1.30am.'