A SAILING boat ran aground on a sandbank outside Poole Harbour on Thursday.

The French 8m vessel called Fior Di Lecci had two adults and a child on board at the time.

The incident happened at around 9.20pm. After calling mayday, the boat was located by Poole Harbour pilot vessel Van Dyck and local passenger vessel Brownsea Enterprise.

They stood by until Poole RNLI All-weather Lifeboat arrived at the scene.

Fior Di Lecci refloated unaided and was escorted by the lifeboat into the harbour where Poole Coastguard Rescue Officers met her on arrival.