VOLUNTEER lifeboat crews were called to help a lone, injured yachtsman early this morning.

The Lymington RNLI lifeboat was launched at 4.50am after reports that a man had cut his arm while attempting to retrieve his anchor after his vessel had dragged during the night.

The lone yachtsman had anchored for the night in the deepwater anchorage in the the Keyhaven Channel just inside the north eastern end of Hurst Spit, but a change of conditions had caused the anchor to drag.

It eventually became trapped under a navigation mark ground chain, and the situation was made worse after a change of tide caused the now-snagged anchor line to become twisted around the riser.

While attempting to recover his situation, the lone yachtsman had cut his arm.

Lymington RNLI lifeboat crew aboard Atlantic 85 David Bradley arrived on scene to find that the sailor had managed to stem the blood flow from his arm and apply a plaster, but that the yacht was now aground on the channel edge with the tide falling away.

After finding that the yachtsman was not in immediate danger, an RNLI crewman was put into the water to untangle the yachts anchor line and the yacht was then towed back into the deeper water.

A spokesperson from the RNLI said: "Lymington lifeboat escorted the yacht back to Lymington and welcomed the casualty into the station for a warming 'brew with the crew'.

"Lymington lifeboat returned to station and was readied for further service shortly after 6am.

"Talking with the crew on his arrival at the lifeboat station, the 74-year-old yachtsman apologised for calling us out at that time of the day and having been assured that no apology was necessary, noted that he had not expected such a large welcoming party in Lymington at that time of the morning!"