The lifeboat launched to a report of a person in the sea off the Hotel Continental, Whitstable.

A search was commenced but shortly after Herne Bay Coastguard arrived on scene, they were able to confirm that the person had made it safely ashore.

The coastguard took the casualty to the lifeboat station to warm up whilst waiting to be collected by his family, and the lifeboat returned to the carriage.

The man had been on a small yacht moored off the Long Beach, Whitstable, since10pm the previous night, but had been unable to get ashore. Not wanting to spend another night on board he had waited until low water before donning a lifejacket and trying to swim to the beach.