Emergency services were called out in the early hours of this morning, when a vessel began sinking in the inner harbour at Douglas.

Fire fighters pumped out an old fishing boat, described as being in 'a poor state of repair'.

At the same time, coastguards used booms around the vessel to prevent the risk of any pollution spreading.

Duty Coastguard Officer David Keggan says they were concerned about diesel oil getting into the harbour (play audio file):

The alarm was raised soon after midnight, and the boat was unmanned at the time.