A 56ft sailing yacht has been towed to safety today after running aground off the Essex coast.The Harwich RNLI lifeboat was called to the vessel which had run aground on Cork Sand, five miles off the Harwich coast.

A 56ft sailing yacht has been towed to safety today after running aground off the Essex coast.

The Harwich Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat was called to the vessel which had run aground on Cork Sand, five miles off the Harwich coast.

A spokeswoman for Thames Coastguard said the craft, with two-strong crew, was towed into safer waters before making its way to Fox's Marina on the River Orwell.