A LIFEBOAT crew from the Isle of Wight was called out to rescue a couple on a yacht which ran aground on the Beaulieu River.

Solent Coastguard sent out Cowes RNLI lifeboat to help at around 5.30pm yesterday (Saturday), following a report a 34ft yacht went hard aground in the mud.

The crew arrived to find a man and a woman aboard the yacht, which was by then heavily leaning over because of the receding tide.

Also called to the scene were Lymington coastguards and the Lepe-based Solent Independent Lifeboat, which ferried the woman to Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu.

With the acceptance it would probably not be until the early hours of this morning (Saturday) before the tide allowed the yacht to float free, the yacht’s kedge anchor was dropped to help give it more stability for when it happened.

Cowes Lifeboat was stood down to arrive back at the station at 7.30pm.