A man narrowly escaped death when he fell into the propellers of his inflatable boat.

Tim Maddran was within inches of becoming the third person to lose his life in the waters off Brighton this summer when he tumbled over the side of his dinghy.

The 41-year-old fell against the propeller's blades, receiving gashes to his back and head as he struggled underwater.

His terrified girlfriend, Tracey Stanmore, 38, switched off the engine and Mr Maddran managed to fight his way to the surface.

Coastguards were stunned by what they say was a miracle escape.

The accident happened on Saturday afternoon as Mr Maddran and Miss Stanmore spent a day boating.

After a couple of hours drifting between the two Brighton piers the pair set off for Shoreham harbour.

Mr Maddran, of Stonery Road, Portslade, said: "I normally sit inside the boat and steer but on this occasion my girlfriend decided to have a go so I sat on the side to tell her what to do.

"I looked away for a moment and I was gone, straight over the side.

"I felt a stunning blow but managed to get myself up to the surface as quickly as possible.

"By then the boat was about 10ft away but I managed to swim back to it.

"I didn't really understand what had happened until we saw the back of my T-shirt was shredded."

Mr Maddran said the propeller had felt like a cheese grater going over his back.

He said: "Another couple of inches and it would have been curtains. I know I'm lucky to be alive.

"I have got away with five stitches in my head and six fairly large grazes on my back."

Mr Maddran thanked Shoreham coastguards, who gave him emergency treatment on shore.

He said: "In future I will be more cautious and I urge other people to stay inside their boats, especially children. It's true the sea is an evil mistress."

Coastguard Dave Cassan said he had not witnessed a luckier escape in his ten years based at Shoreham.

He said: "This person had a line of propeller blade injuries on his spine, straight up the middle of his back and a cut to the back of his head.

"His head was still bleeding when we got to him. It took the hospital about two hours to stem it. I have never seen someone come away from propeller injuries so lightly.

"Normally a person hit by a propeller ends up with injuries which are either extreme or fatal.

"Another half inch and we would have been talking about another fatality"

Mr Cassan said people who sat on the sides of boats put their lives at risk.

He said: "This man was just doing what everyone else does.

"A lot of people sit on the sides because it is nice and bouncy but all you have to do is glance away for a second and you're over.

"I can't count the number of times I have seen speedboats leaving Shoreham harbour with children sitting on the brow. You cringe because it's a horror story waiting to happen."