Rescue crews raced out to the middle of the English Channel as a yacht started taking on water.

The two people on board the 44ft yacht were considering abandoning ship due to the alarming rate the water was flooding into the boat.

Several rescue teams, including the Swanage lifeboat, were mobilised following a Mayday distress call at about 10.20am yesterday.

As well as the lifeboat, coastguard rescue helicopter 175, the Barfleur and RFA Argus were all sent to the scene, nearly 30nm SSE from Anvil Point.

Rescue 175 arrived first, shortly followed by the lifeboat and Argus’ fast rescue craft.

However it appeared that the yacht’s crew had managed to diagnose and fix the issue causing the leak and they were coping with clearing the boat of water.

The lifeboat stood by the vessel until the people on board were certain they could carry on their journey alone, then returned to station.