Bustling Poole Harbour has proved to be among the safest in the country.

Over a five-year period a total of 259 incidents or accidents were logged, out of an estimated 1.2 million vessel movements.

These figures were reported between 2005 and 2009 and are a significantly lower number overall compared to 12 other harbour authorities in the UK.

All the ports were taking part in a voluntary pilot study looking at marine accidents in harbour waters, undertaken by the Department for Transport.

The survey will be repeated annually and form part of the harbour master’s annual marine safety report for Poole Harbour Commissioners.

One of the largest natural harbours in the world, Poole is a busy place with commercial activity from cross-Channel ferries and cargo vessels as well as leisure sailors, fishing boats, windsurfers and jet-skis.

Harbourmaster, Captain Brian Murphy, is pleased that the harbour fared so well in the report.

He said: “Poole Harbour Commissioners have stringent processes in place to keep the harbour as safe as possible so we were happy to contribute our statistics to this study.

“It gives us a good framework to work within to try and bring the level of incidents down even further.

“When we have such a vast expanse of harbour to oversee, it is reassuring that the level of problems which are inevitable in any boating environment are minimal when the size of harbour waters is so considerable.”