IT is no stranger to being in the news but today a notorious sandbank in the middle of the Solent is at the centre of one of the world's biggest maritime dramas.

Bramble Bank is usually known for claiming victims who fail to spot its danger lurking under the shallow water.

But today it appears that the arrow-shaped sandbank has played a major role in preventing a huge 51,000 ton car transporter for capsizing.

Late on Saturday night the skipper of the Hoegh Osaka and the Associated British Ports pilot on board the vessel to guide it out of Southampton Water decided to ground the 180m long boat on the bank.

Their desperate actions came after the ship began listing as it sailed out of city's docks and was in danger of keeling over in the sea with its cargo, fuel and 25 crew members on board.

It was an unusual and extreme manoeuvre but one that may have prevented a major disaster.

All crew were saved, some plucked from the sea, during a night time rescue mission involving lifeboats, helicopters and ambulances.

Today the 24-year-old vessel is resting precariously at 52 degrees on the bank waiting for a recovery operation that may take weeks.

Daily Echo:

People playing cricket on the shallow Bramble Bank

It's cargo of 1,400 cars and up to 80 industrial vehicles plus 500 tons of fuel still on board.

The bank is a shifting underwater hazard that has ensnared mariners over the years.

Well-known to Southampton-based pilots and to experienced mariners is slowly moving westward and is marked at its western and eastern ends by buoys with weather and sea-measuring equipment.

In 2008 the Queen Elizabeth II got stuck on her final voyage into Southampton.

It had to be swiftly towed off by four tugs and was only some 90 minutes late.

The water there becomes so shallow once a year that cricket matches have been held on the bank for years between The Royal Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club.

The matches only last about an hour before the tide turns.

A temporary pub, The Bramble Inn, is set up to provide refreshment for the cricketers and spectators.

The two teams take it in turns to win.

Some years the sea never completely recedes and the game goes ahead with players rolling their trousers up.

Panel: THE Hoegh Osaka was heading to Bremerhaven, the German North Sea port, on a routine run carrying more than 1,400 vehicles.

The Norwegian-owned ship is 180 metres long (590ft), weighs 51,000 tonnes, has a nine-metre draught and has a capacity of 5,400 ceu (car equivalent units).

It was carrying JCB industrial vehicles and 1,400 cars including BMWs.

Southampton is a major exporting port for several British vheicle manufacturers including Jaguar, Land Rover, Range Rover, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Minis, JCB, Honda and New Holland tractors.

All vehicles will be lashed down in case of rough weather at sea; but the listing of the vessel at 52 degrees will be placing huge stresses on those ties.

Registered in Singapore and built in Japan in 2000, the transporter was operated by Hoegh Autoliners, one of the world's major operators of roll-on roll-off ferries and vehicle transporters.

The company runs services across the world from the Caribbean to Africa, Asia and Europe. It is frequent visitor to Southampton, often arriving in the morning and being unloaded in around 12 hours to leave in the evening.