Members of a volunteer lifeboat crew were called from their beds to save the passengers on a sinking yacht.
The crew of Hastings' RNLI lifeboat went to the aid of the 37-foot boat Jitterbug after the alarm was raised at 6am today.
Four people were on board the yacht and alerted the coastguard by radio that the vessel was taking on water.
The lifeboat went to the stricken boat, which was just off Pett Level, near Hastings, and reached it by 6.30am.
RNLI crewmembers Steve Warne and Mark Tewksbery were put on board the yacht along with a salvage pump.
The water level was reduced enough for the boat to make it to Rye Harbour, escorted by the Hastings lifeboat.
Hastings lifeboat coxswain Martin Phillips said: "RNLI lifeboats operate 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
"When the pagers go off our volunteer crews turn out - even on a damp misty Sunday morning. It's part of the job and I'm just glad that we were able to reach this yacht quickly and get her back safely."
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