Eyewitnesses have told how a 40 tonne crane collapsed at Portchester Sailing Club yesterday, writing off the Westerly Konsort that it was lowering onto the mud.

Emergency services were called to the club at 3.35pm, and a spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue said a crane had collapsed on a slipway.

Eyewitness Tony Lawrence was travelling past the sailing club just after the crane collapsed. He told the Portsmouth News: ‘The crane has fallen over and it has taken out one of the yachts.

‘It’s a very big crane and there are coastguards, the fire brigade and police all around it. There was an ambulance as well but I don’t think anybody has been hurt.

‘It looks like it is stuck in the mud now so it won’t be going anywhere quickly.’

Pictures from the scene: The crane crushing a Westerly Konsort are here