A LIFEBOAT was called out after a fire started on a yacht in the waters off Hampshire last night.

Hamble Lifeboat was called out to rescue the crew of a 27 foot yacht Aluko when a fire started in the engine compartment at about 9pm.

The lifeboat crew pulled the boat to Hamble Marina where they were met by firefighters from Hightown Fire Station who checked that the fire was out.

None of the three crew were injured in the incident which is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

Crew manager Neil Benfield said: “The crew had closed the hatch to the engine and when they got into the jetty we got on board and made sure it was safe.”