Poole RNLI Inshore Lifeboat launched at 10.30pm on Sunday in thunder and lightning to assist a speed boat with four people on board.

The speedboat broke down at the top of the Wareham channel as it was heading back from Wareham Quay to Poole.

The lifeboat crew escorted the vessel - and dinghy trying to assist the speedboat, back to the nearest safe landing site at Lake Road slipway.

Volunteer helmsman, Gavin McGuinness, said: “With the weather worsening, the lightening becoming more frequent and the fact that the dinghy had no navigation lights, we wanted to guide them safely ashore.

“They were initially intending to go back to Poole Quay but it was too dangerous with the shipping movements, thunderstorm and other factors, we were glad to get them all back ashore and for us to get safely home as the ride back was quite something.”