A yacht that struggled with gusting winds and a strong tide to reach safety in Fishguard on Saturday later broke its moorings, narrowly avoiding being smashed to pieces on the foreshore.

Fishguard coastguard rescue team kept the yacht Kingfisher under observation as it seemed to have trouble coming into the harbour on Saturday afternoon.

The crew eventually got the 25 foot folk boat onto a mooring between Fishguard Fort and the Quay at Lower Town.

That night, shortly after 8pm, Milford Haven coastguard operations room received a call stating that the same yacht had gone adrift and was grounded in near the Skirmisher in Lower Fishguard Harbour, having been carried there by the heavy sea swell and strong wind.

Both Fishguard lifeboats and the town's coastguard rescue team were tasked to the scene.

The inshore boat located the yacht after both lifeboats scanned the Lower Town waters by searchlights.

A crewman then boarded the yacht and attached a tow line whilst staying aboard to help manoeuvre the yacht in demanding conditions with a north east gale force 8 wind blowing, gusting to Force 9 at times.

It was quickly established that was nobody aboard the vessel and the ILB then towed the battered yacht off the shore into clear water. It then began a protracted tow across Fishguard harbour to a sheltered mooring near the lifeboat station in Goodwick.

Meanwhile coastguards began to search for the owner of the yacht. They established that a single crew member had moored the vessel but because of the weather and his soaking wet clothing decided to come ashore and go home. He was last seen getting on a bus for Cardigan.

Extensive enquiries revealed that the owner lived in Newcastle Emlyn and he was finally contacted.

"Fortunately this incident had a happy ending but it is vital that any moorings should be thoroughly checked and vessels tied correctly," said a coastguard spokesman.

"If the boat is moored in a harbour not usually used the captain should inform the harbour master of the vessel's presence and the intentions of the crew."