A LIFEBOAT crew from the Isle of Wight was called out urgently to help prevent a night-time collision between a stricken motor cruiser and a ship on The Solent.

Cowes RNLI lifeboat was called out by Solent Coastguard at 10.10pm last night (Friday, September 6).

The coastguard service received an urgent report a 43ft motor cruiser, with a crew of six on board, had suffered engine failure, on a well used Solent shipping lane, north of the North Cardinal Buoy, off Cowes foreshore.

The cruiser had dropped its anchor, amid concerns a passing ship might crash into the craft.   

At the scene, the Cowes lifeboat crew had difficulty in raising the anchor, which forced them into cutting the anchor's chain, leaving the anchor on the sea bed.

The lifeboat then towed the craft to Trinity Landing, Cowes, before returning to the lifeboat station.

The operation lasted two hours.