Gravesend RNLI lifeboat crew recovered an unmanned yacht after it broke free from its mooring and drifted into a shipping lane.

The charity’s lifeboat launched at 10.53am on 7 November after London Coastguard had received reports of a sailing yacht which was seen drifting in a shipping lane.

The yacht was found to be unmanned with evidence that the mooring buoy had failed due to the bad weather conditions.

A Gravesend RNLI spokesman said: ‘Shortly before the yacht was blown onto the shore the lifeboat crew were able to rig a tow and towed the vessel to safety.’

The yacht was returned to a sailing club mooring, and with the assistance of the sailing club safety boat it was placed onto a vacant mooring. Once secured the lifeboat was released from service and returned to station.