Coastguard Jim Anderson has told a yachtsman he was just ‘half a mile from becoming a statistic’ after setting off in his dinghy with no safety gear, flares, handheld VHF or mobile phone.

The dinghy was found 200 metres offshore near Rope Lake Head near Kimmeridge, Dorset. The empty boat still had oars on board and the outboard engine was in ahead.

Later the occupant turned up saying he had capsized and waded ashore bare foot.