Four people had to be rescued after their yacht ran into trouble at Brighton Marina.

The Brighton RNLI lifeboat responded to a mayday distress call from the 42ft sailing yacht aground in the entrance to the marina at about 9am today.

The yacht, with four people on board crew on passage from West Mersea, Essex, was being driven perilously close to the marina wall by 30mph winds and a rough sea.

Several boats were standing by the yacht but due to the unfavourable conditions were unable to get close enough to be of assistance.

Brighton lifeboat towed the vessel clear and escorted it safely into the marina. The operation took just seven minutes, and no-one was injured.