POOLE RNLI was rushed out to help a 31ft yacht off Shipstal Point in Arne after a crew member suffered a lacerated hand.

The RNLI were requested to launch at 1:45pm on September 20 by the Coastguard after the yacht had become entangled in its chain anchor on a mooring buoy.

The crew member had sustained the lacerated hand during the commotion which meant the crew raised a pan-pan call.

A pan-pan radio call is used for urgent situations that are not life-threatening.

A spokesperson for RNLI Poole said: "The lifeboat was soon on scene and two crew transferred across to check the vessel and the people on board, casualty care was administered to one person who had a lacerated hand.

"As the tide was falling, the decision was made to detach the anchor and leave in situ, on a marked buoy, with the intention to retrieve it later at low water.

"The two-lifeboat crew transferred back, and the vessel was happy to make its own way back to Poole Quay Boat Haven where the lifeboat had arranged for people to be on hand to help."

The lifeboat followed the crew some of the way back before it returned to the Poole station at 3:30pm.