A MAN suffered a serious leg injury after hitting his leg on the propeller of a speedboat.

The 25-year-old victim was climbing onto the stationary boat in Brightlingsea harbour when he caught his knee on the blade.

Luckily the engine was switched off.

Thames Coastguard received a 999 call from a distressed woman on the boat just after 3pm on yesterday.

The man was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Colchester General Hospital.