Douglas RNLI lifeboat was launched last night (Monday) to help a lone sailor in difficulty about seven miles south of Douglas.

The sailor was making his way from Belfast to Douglas on a 11-metre yacht when after a short rest at Derbyhaven, he found it incrasingly difficult to make his way towards Douglas in the freshening north-west wind, even with motor assistance.

He radioed the Coastguard for assistance at about 10.30pm when the yacht’s engine started to overheat.

An RNLI spokesman said: ’The Douglas all weather lifeboat, Sir William Hillary, under the command of volunteer coxswain Neal Corran reached the casualty vessel just after 11pm and lifeboat crewman Peter Cowin was put aboard the yacht to assist its sole occupant.

’The yacht was towed back to Douglas and berthed alongside the Visitors’ Pontoon on the Battery Pier where coastguards was waiting to assist, the lone sailor being none the worse for his ordeal.’