Two men had a miraculous escape after their boat capsized off Southend.

Lifeboatmen said the men could have died in the water had they not been spotted when they were.

The pair were attempting to return their motor cruiser to Southend Pier when the vessel overturned and sunk.

They were left floundering until the RNLI lifeboat pulled them aboard.

Alan Butler, RNLI spokesman, said: "One of the men was found to be in a bad way suffering shock and early hypothermia. They were taken to the inshore boat-house, transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to Southend Hospital for observation.

"The men were most fortunate that the lifeboat crew were on hand when the accident occurred. Any delay may have proved fatal."

The lifeboat crew were on their way back from an exercise in the upper pool of London on Friday at 6.30pm when they saw the two men in the water.

They continued their training, aimed to familiarise them with the upper Thames should they be called to an emergency there, over the weekend.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.