A KITE SURFER who ran into difficulty was rescued from Portland Harbour.

The MV Freedom was re-launched yesterday after a major refit over the winter and on its maiden voyage it helped to pick up a stricken kite surfer.

Portland Coastguard received a call from a windsurfer reporting the man in trouble at noon yesterday.

A spokesman for the coastguard said: “We put out a call and Freedom responded very sharply and they picked him up and gave him a lift back to Weymouth.”

He added: “Freedom are terribly helpful and thanks to them it was all a very minor matter.” MV Freedom Trustee Geoff Winkley was on board at the time. He said the kitesurfer was Matthew Joey from the Coventry area.

He said: “We went out to by Sandsfoot Castle and picked him up. He was starting to drift in by the boats. He was quite tired. We picked him up and took him back to Weymouth. His wife met him there. He was very happy.”

Mr Joey was so impressed that he made a donation to the charity boat that gives disabled people, those with learning difficulties and the elderly the chance to get out on the water.