FOUR people were rescued from a 30ft yacht which ran aground off the Kent coast after breaking its mooring in high winds on Saturday.

The Whitstable lifeboat fought its way through heavy seas and storm force winds to reach the vessel at around 7.30am. It was stricken 30 metres off the Harty Ferry slipway on the Isle of Sheppey.

Four people on board the yacht were transferred to the lifeboat and taken ashore before being handed into the care of the Sheppey Coastguard.

Dave Parry, Whitstable lifeboat helmsman, said: "After we had got them off the yacht it was very difficult in the conditions to land them.

"The lifeboat crewmembers did very well to get the four people safely ashore."