MUMBLES lifeboat crew braved the icy waters after a yacht crew found themselves in difficulty off Gower.

With temperatures plummeting to minus two degrees, the crew members were called to assist Swansea Coastguard at 4am yesterday.

A 20ft Trans Atlantic racing yacht damaged its mast which caused the vessel to have a rope around its propeller, making it impossible for the yacht to power itself.

Crew members battled the weather to help the yacht which was stranded about five miles off Worms Head en route to Cardiff.

Speaking of the rescue, lifeboat crew member Glyn Allen, said: "It was a long trip down to the Worm. It took nearly an hour and by the time we got there the tide had turned against the 40 knot winds, so it was getting quite choppy.

"We took control of the boat as the skipper was very tired and suffering from mild exposure. "He'd done a great job of securing the damaged mast which made it much easier for us to take him in tow."

It took four hours to get back to Swansea Marina. Rob Tovey, second coxswain of Mumbles lifeboat, said the skipper had done everything he should have, including lashing the rigging and putting on a lifejacket before calling for help.