Parked not stranded

The Littlehampton Gazette received at least three excited phone calls from people about the dramatic event.

But harbour master Colin Hitchcock assured the Gazette that far from being beached, the vessel, pictured left, was "parked" on the sand so the captain could investigate a suspicious noise coming from the propellers before he sailed again with the high tide.

"It really wasn't a problem," said Mr Hitchcock.

"He asked me if there was somewhere he could investigate a noise on one of the propellers and we put him in a safe position on the flat so he could carry out the inspection while he waited for the tide to come in.

"The vessel is designed to sit on the bottom, and when the tide comes in, float.

"I phoned the coastguard to let them know what was going on.

"It really wasn't that exciting."