AN EMERGENCY rescue was launched to save a yacht from "near disaster" in the Solent.

Yarmouth's RNLI team rushed to help a 30ft Dutch yacht which had a broken rudder just west of Shingles Bank near the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

The RNLI says the tides of the Solent and the Channel meet at this point and it is known for dangerous seas.

A spokesman said: "The wind was gusting near gale force making the task of establishing a tow very difficult for both the lifeboat and the yacht in such violent conditions.

"The yacht was so close to the Shingle bank that it was able to try to anchor before the lifeboat arrived.

"Although the anchor was holding, the yacht was rotating round its anchor in the violent seas making the lifeboat's approach dangerous."

The lifeboat's crew was able to pull the yacht into calmer waters after the incident, which happened at about 3.15pm yesterday, and safely tow the vessel to land.